Portugal trailed Norway (99.6%), Denmark (76.1%) and Austria (73.2%) in terms of the incorporation of renewable energy into electricity generation in Europe, in the first five months of the year. According to the report, until May, Portugal registered a total of 59.4% of renewables used to produce electricity.

The report also reveals that the fourth position also remained, looking only at the data for the month of May, when 56.3% of renewable energies were generated and used for the production of electricity, although the production of this type of energy has decreased by 5.8% compared to April and 4.2% compared to May 2021. This reduction, explains the report, “is mainly due to the decrease in wind and hydraulic indices, which resulted in a decrease in production of wind and water”.

The use renewable energies meant that during the five months of the year Portugal saved 1.528 million euros in natural gas imports and 3.4 million tons less of carbon dioxide (CO2). In May, savings amounted to 274 million euros and 0.7 million tonnes less of CO2 emitted.

“This analysis is based on the assumption that, in the absence of renewables, production would be ensured primarily by natural gas, followed by the use of imports”, explains APREN.