Solar power generation reaches new highs

Solar power generation reached a new peak in August, at around 3,850 MW, in line with the growth in installed capacity. This milestone was achieved in a month in which electricity consumption in Portugal continued its upward trend, rising by 1.2 per cent compared with the same month last year, or by 2.2 per cent after adjusting for the effects of temperature and the number of working days. From January to August, consumption rose by 3.1 per cent compared with the same period last year, or by 3 per cent when adjusted for the same factors.

During August, weather conditions were less favourable for wind and solar power generation, with productivity indices of 0.87 and 0.82 respectively (the historical average being 1). As regards hydroelectric generation, inflows were above average, although this had little impact as it was a summer month.

Overall, renewable generation supplied 52 per cent of national electricity consumption; non-renewable generation accounted for 12 per cent, whilst the remaining 36 per cent came from imported energy.

Electricity imports reached a new high, exceeding 5,200 MW, following the recent upgrade of the interconnector with Spain. Solar generation, meanwhile, despite less favourable conditions, benefited from the increase in installed capacity.

In the first eight months of the year, renewable generation met 66 per cent of consumption, broken down into hydroelectric (25 per cent), wind (23 per cent), photovoltaic (13 per cent) and biomass (5 per cent). Natural gas generation accounted for 14 per cent of consumption, whilst the remaining 20 per cent came from imports. During this period, the hydroelectric productivity index stood at 1.20, whilst the wind index was 0.98 and the solar index 0.82.

In the natural gas market, consumption fell by 11.9 per cent in August compared with the same month last year, weighed down by a 28 per cent drop in the electricity generation segment. In the conventional segment, which covers all other customers, consumption fell by 2.0%.

The national supply of natural gas was sourced entirely from the Sines LNG terminal, whilst the interconnector with Spain recorded a net export equivalent to around one-third of national consumption.

Between January and August, natural gas consumption rose by 2.2 per cent compared with the same period last year. The electricity generation segment grew by 7.4 per cent, whilst the conventional segment remained in line with the same period last year.

Nigeria and the United States were the main sources of the gas consumed in Portugal in the first eight months of the year, accounting for 57 per cent and 31 per cent of the total respectively. Russia accounted for 6 per cent, whilst the remaining 6 per cent came from the interconnector with Spain.