By the end of 2021, the installed renewable energy capacity in Portugal is expected to exceed 7,700 megawatts (MW). That figure represents an increase of 5.2% over last year, according to a study released this Thursday by Informa D&B.
The largest growth is seen in photovoltaic solar power, whose installed capacity is expected to increase by more than 20% compared to 2020.
In 2020, the installed electric capacity reached 1,030 MW, which is 14% of the total, second only to wind energy, which is still the most representative – 5,456 MW, which is equivalent to 74% of the total. In 2020, there were 254 wind farms in operation, a total of 2,801 wind turbines. The largest number of wind farms is concentrated in Lisbon with 39 parks, followed by Viseu with 38 and Vila Real with 34.
According to the compilation, they are followed by mini-hydroelectric power plants with a capacity of 415 MW and energy produced from biomass with a capacity of 242 MW. The remaining production is divided between biogas, municipal solid waste and geothermal energy.
According to the same study, the installed renewable energy capacity in Portugal has increased on average by about 5% over the past decade. This growth has slowed compared to the previous decade “due to growing market maturity and reduced production incentives,” the analysis said.
At the end of last year, Portugal’s global capacity was 7,359 MW, compared to 7,220 MW in 2019 and 5,212 MW in 2012.
With this renewable energy installed capacity, Portugal last year produced 17,279 GWh of electricity, equivalent to 35.3% of global electricity production. Wind power production fell 10% from the previous year to 12,297 GWh, accounting for 71.2% of the country’s total renewable energy production.
