A GREEN AND PLEASANT LAND
Portugal's high-tech commitments, with significant R&D activity spearheaded by institutions such as the Foundation of Science and Technology (FCT), have gone hand in glove with a distinctly green national energy policy.
Renewables Lead the Charge
In April 2013, as an EU member, Portugal committed to national renewable energy targets stipulated by the National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP) 2013-2020. EU Directive 2009/28/EC requires member states to submit NREAPs to the European Commission in step with 2020 renewable energy, energy efficiency, and GHG reduction targets. The plan aimed at wind power reaching an installed capacity of 5,300MW by 2020, with 27MW reserved for offshore wind. Those targets, however, have already been exceeded. Related state initiatives of 2017 were geared toward offshore wind energy and national grid security. 2017 was beset by meteorological challenges, namely pronounced drought. This challenge underlines the advantages of a diversified energy mix. The government is now considering investments that better exploit solar and bio-energy schemes to bolster its energy independence over the years to come, while also beating a path toward the de-carbonization targets of the Paris Agreement.
Current Generators
The 2018 edition of The Portuguese Renewable Energy Association (APREN) Yearbook indicates five biomass power plants with a total capacity of 209MW, 235 wind farms with 5,189MW, 46 large hydropower plants with 6,751MW, 99 small hydropower plants with 369MW, 30 photovoltaic solar plants with 92MW, and three geothermal power plants with 33MW. This equals an installed capacity of 12,643MW at 418 renewable power plants.
More High-Calorie Numbers
Portugal has confirmed the commercial viability of green energy. Back in 2017, installed capacity at renewable power plants led to a drop in the average wholesale market price of electricity to EUR18.3 per MWh. To the consumer, this spelt savings of EUR727 million. What's more, Portugal registered fossil fuel import savings of EUR770 million, while dodging 8.5 million tons of CO2 emissions. Fast forward, and in March 2018 Portugal generated 104% of its electricity mainland consumption from renewables, chiefly from wind and hydroelectric technology. The next highest figure had been realized in 2014 at 92.2%. Fossil fuels were periodically turned to for supply needs. But now official data suggests that by 2040, renewable electricity generation will account for total annual electricity consumption. This means no less than the total elimination of electricity sector greenhouse gas emissions. For March, hydroelectric facilities met 55% of monthly energy consumption, made possible by conducive wintry weather. It was followed by wind turbine generation of 42%.
Blowing in the Wind
In 2017, renewables accounted for 44% of Portugal's power generation. Of that, total installed wind energy capacity at end-2017 was at 5,313MW, marking 38.6% of the country's total renewable capacity. Wind farms generated 12.3TWh that year, supplying 24% of total electricity demand. Average production at full capacity was 2,399 hours, down 0.8% YoY from 2,419 hours. While hydroelectricity generation appreciated by 9% YoY, wind generation soared 34%. No additional wind capacity was rolled out during the period for the first time since that component factored into the energy grid. For a third consecutive year, wind power met over 100% of demand at certain hours in an entirely fault-free performance from Portuguese Transmission System Operator (TSO). In fact, Portugal has witnessed a new era in energy generation where feed-in tariffs do not apply to the surplus generation of wind farm projects. Moreover, record performances were seen in the instantaneous and daily electricity demand met by wind energy of 110% and 82%, respectively.
In short, Portugal has invested in green energy for decades now with the goal of navigating a full year's worth of demand exclusively through renewables, an achievement as yet some way in the future. The ultimate consequence of its renewables policy is full de-carbonization of the economy. And by leveraging a mix of hydropower, solar PV, and onshore wind, Portugal seems set to attain the targeted 85% renewables ratio of total generation in 2030 and 90% in 2050.
A GREEN AND PLEASANT LAND
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Focus: Community of Portuguese Language Speaking Countries
Making an Impact
Established in 1996, the Community of Portuguese Language Speaking Countries (CPLP) is a mechanism geared at linking and sharing the experience of Lusophone countries. Besides Portugal, this includes Brazil, Portugal, Cape Verde, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
read articleFocus
Don’t Mind the Disruption
Having won the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest, Lisbon hosted the 2018 event. The relevance? Well, the contest began back in 1956 as a showcase not only of song, but of then-nascent live television broadcast technology. Today, Portugal is on the cutting edge of new technological developments.
read articleInterview
João Pedro Soeiro de Matos Fernandes , Minister , Environment and Energy Transition
The Ministry for the Environment and Energy Transition is focusing on decarbonizing the economy, valuing the territory and its habitats, and striving for a more circular use of the country's resources.
read articleInterview
António Braz Costa , General Manager, Portuguese Technological Centre for the Textile & Clothing Industries (CITEVE)
CITEVE has transformed the industry by promoting value addition, adopting the latest technologies, and ensuring the highest standards of environmental sustainability.
read articleFocus: New airport
Right Time to Seize Missed Opportunities
Portugal has seen its air traffic figures increase by as much as 80% in the last five years. As a result, its transportation infrastructure, and Lisbon's airport in particular, cannot cope with the rising numbers. A new airport project that will turn a military base into a commercial airport is now under discussion to bring much-needed relief to air traffic.
read articleInterview
Germano de Sousa , President, Grupo Germano de Sousa
Grupo Germano de Sousa's success can best be summed up by its understanding that science and medicine only really progress when technological development is combined with a deeper respect for human values and professional ethics.
read articleInterview
Isabel Capeloa Gil , Rector, Universidade Católica
Having pioneered the introduction of multiple subject areas to Portugal's tertiary education scene, Universidade Católica is aspiring to establish the country's first private medical school and introduce cutting-edge digital transformation.
read articleInterview
Carlos Guillén Gestoso , President, Escola Universitária de Ciências Empresariais, Saúde, Tecnologias e Engenharia & President, Atlantica University
Atlantica University differentiates through its company-university model and an MBA program in partnership with the University of California, Berkley, among other initiatives, to produce practical theoreticians.
read articleFocus: Public teaching staff
An Age-old Problem
Over a decade of austerity measures combined with an ageing population have seen the average age of the Portuguese public teaching staff progressively climb to one of the highest in the OECD. With frozen salaries, an extended retirement age, and precarious working conditions, today the sector faces one of its biggest challenge yet.
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Pedro Queiroz , General Manager, Federation of the Portuguese Agri-Food Industry (FIPA)
Portugal's economic recovery has seen its F&B sector emerge with annual turnovers of EUR16 billion, thanks to FIPA's undeterred focus on stable policies, excellent nutrition standards, and sustainability.
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