Photovoltaics took the top spot in Portugal's electricity mix for the first time in July 2026, according to the monthly report from the Associação Portuguesa de Energias Renováveis (Apren), the Portuguese Renewable Energy Association. Solar covered 25.8 percent of national electricity generation, followed by hydro at 21.0 percent and wind at 17.7 percent. In total, renewables accounted for 70.5 percent of electricity generation, equivalent to 2,554 GWh of the 3,611 GWh generated.
Portugal ranks fourth in Europe
Between January and July 2026, renewables accounted for 75.0 percent of electricity generation. According to Apren, this places Portugal fourth among European countries with the highest share of renewables, behind Norway (97.3 percent), Denmark (94.3 percent) and Austria (78.9 percent). Over the same period, renewable generation was sufficient to cover the country's entire electricity demand for 694 non-consecutive hours, equivalent to around 29 full days.
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The average electricity price on the Iberian power market Mibel stood at €57.3 per MWh over the same period, a decline of 10.0 percent year-on-year. Renewable generation also enabled Portugal to avoid natural gas imports worth €667 million and electricity imports worth €374 million. Savings on CO₂ emission allowances came to €423 million, while avoided emissions amounted to 6.1 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.
Installed capacity continues to grow
At the end of June 2026, renewables accounted for 79.5 percent of Portugal's total installed generation capacity. Since 2016, renewable capacity has grown by 9,143 MW, an increase of 68.2 percent. Susana Serôdio, coordinator for policy and market intelligence at Apren, described July as a turning point: “July marks a historic milestone for our electricity system. The fact that solar has taken the lead in power generation reflects the commitment to and strong investment in this technology.”
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Serôdio also urged action: "To keep breaking records and reinforce the fundamental role of solar and other clean sources, it is urgent to accelerate the permitting and development processes for new renewable projects in Portugal. This is the only way to secure the country's energy transition in a competitive and sustainable manner, and without delay."
Madeira and Azores below mainland levels
The report also includes data on Portugal's autonomous regions for the first half of 2026. On Madeira, 46.1 percent of electricity generated came from renewable sources (488.9 GWh in total), with hydro contributing the largest share at 19.5 percent, followed by wind at 16.7 percent. In the Azores, the renewables share stood at 31.5 percent (437.8 GWh in total), with geothermal dominating at 18.8 percent, followed by wind at 7.8 percent. (nhp)
