REN Redes Energeticas Nacionais SGPS S A : Renewable energy production sets record in 2023

Renewable production supplied 61% of the electricity consumption in Portugal in 2023, totaling 31.2 TWh, the highest ever recorded in the national system. Wind energy supplied 25% of the consumption in Portugal, hydropower 23%, photovoltaic 7%, and biomass 6%. There was a year-on-year growth of 70% in hydropower production, compared to the particularly dry year of 2022, as well as a 43% growth in photovoltaic production, attributed to the progressively increasing installed capacity. The productivity indices of renewable energy sources remained nearly in line with average regimes, with a 0.99 index (historical average equal to 1) for hydropower, the same value for wind power, and 1.01 for solar productivity.

Non-renewable production supplied only 19% of consumption, totaling 10 TWh, the lowest value since 1988. This is attributed not only to the greater availability of renewable energy but also to the high import balance, supplying 20% of consumption, marking the highest value ever and its largest share in consumption supply since 1981.

Electricity consumption supplied from the public grid in 2023 reached 50.7 TWh, a growth of 0.8% compared to the previous year, or 0.6% when considering corrections for temperature effects and the number of working days. It is the highest consumption since 2018, remaining approximately 3% below the historical maximum recorded in the national system in 2010.

Regarding December, consumption showed a strong growth of 6.9% or 5.6%, with corrections for temperature and working days effects. Renewable production supplied 73% of this consumption, non-renewable supplied 11%, while the remaining 16% corresponded to the import balance. During this period, conditions were favorable for hydropower production, with a productivity index of 1.09, unlike wind and solar productivity, which recorded indices of 0.83 and 0.91, respectively.

In the natural gas market in 2023, the overall consumption was the lowest since 2014. There was a consumption of 49 TWh, indicating a contraction of 21% compared to the previous year, resulting from a 42% reduction in the electricity production segment and a 3% decrease in the conventional segment.

The national system's supply in 2023 was primarily from the Sines LNG terminal, with 95% of the total gas entering Portugal, and the remaining 5% received through the interconnection with Spain. The gas unloaded in Sines mainly originated from Nigeria and the United States, representing 42% and 40% of the national supply, respectively.

In December, gas consumption maintained the negative trend observed throughout the year, with an overall year-on-year contraction of 11.5%. This represents a 51% decline in the electricity market, partially offset by a 10% growth in the conventional segment.