Renewable energy provides 70% of Portugal’s electricity

Portugal Provides 70% of Electricity Using Renewable Energy , Design Build, 19 April 13, By Marc Howe Figures from Portugal’s electricity network operator indicate that 70 per cent of all electricity consumed in the country during the first quarter of this year was derived from renewable energy sources, leading to a marked decline in the usage of conventional fossil fuels for power generation purposes.

The record-breaking levels of renewable energy usage were heavily abetted by favourable weather conditions, expediting generation by hydro power facilities and wind turbines and bringing about declines in electricity consumption by Portuguese citizens.

Hydro was the biggest power provider throughout the quarter, supplying 37 per cent of all electricity consumed in Portugal for a staggering 312 per cent year-on-year increase.

Wind power came in second, supplying 27 per cent of total electricity and achieving a record-breaking generation level for Portugal. Wind turbine power generation levels increased 60 per cent year-on-year and were 37 per cent greater than average……

The frugal energy consumption habits of the Portuguese no doubt also contributed to the increased prominence of renewables. While a warm winter and fewer working days contributed to a marked decline in energy usage of 2.3 per cent during the first quarter, power consumption in Portugal has fallen steadily over the past several years and currently stands at 2006 levels.

The increased usage of renewable energy has conversely led to a sharp decline in the consumption of conventional fossil fuels, which the small Iberian nation can only import. Portugal used 29 per cent less coal and 44 per cent less gas for electricity generation in the first quarter compared to 2012 figures.

Portugal has undertaken concerted efforts to transition toward renewable energy sources since the middle of last decade, in order to reduce the country’s reliance on imported fossil fuels as well as harness its rich climate resources as a peninsular nation state.

In 2011, Portugal even managed to use renewable energy sources to provide for all the country’s power needs for a period of several hours. The March quarter of 2013 marks the first occasion, however, that the country has managed to supply so much of its energy needs from renewable sources over such a protracted time frame.http://designbuildsource.com.au/portugal-provides-70-of-electricity-using-renewable-energy

April 20, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, renewable