Electricity consumption increased by 4.1% in January, year-on-year, with renewables accounting for 88% of consumption, according to data from REN – Redes Energéticas Nacionais. “Electric energy consumption recorded a growth of 4.1% in January, compared to the same period last year, which drops slightly to 3.7% with correction for the effects of temperature and the number of working days,” REN said in a statement.

According to the manager of the national electricity and natural gas systems, renewable production supplied 88% of consumption (including the export balance), with emphasis on hydropower at 51%, followed by wind at 28%, biomass at 5%, and photovoltaic with 4%.

“With favourable weather conditions for renewable technologies, high productivity rates were recorded, particularly in hydro with 1.53 (historical average equal to 1), but also in photovoltaic with 1.18 and wind with 1.02” , highlighted REN.

Thus, in January, new historical maximums were reached in the instantaneous values injected into the network, both in hydro production, which reached the “highest ever” monthly value, and in photovoltaics, which reached daily peaks of around 1,400 megawatts (MW ).

Non-renewable production, through natural gas plants, supplied the remaining 12% of consumption (including the export balance). In the month under review, the trade balance with foreign exporters was equivalent to around 4% of national consumption.