From November 2025 through October 2026, about two-thirds of Portugal’s electricity consumption came from low-carbon sources. Hydropower supplied around 27%, wind 20%, solar nearly 15%, and biofuels about 5%. Fossil fuels accounted for roughly 14%, predominantly gas at around 12%, with oil contributing less than 2%. Net imports covered a further 19% of consumption; the figures do not identify their generation mix, so they should be kept separate from the low-carbon and fossil categories.

Is Electricity Growing in Portugal?

Electricity consumption per person is growing: the latest 2026 figure reached about 6,260 kWh, surpassing the previous record of roughly 6,060 kWh in 2025 by 202 kWh, or just over 3%. This growth supports an increasingly electrified economy, but domestic low-carbon generation has not kept pace. Low-carbon electricity generation per person fell to about 4,150 kWh, down 117 kWh, or nearly 3%, from its 2025 record of 4,265 kWh. That decline is concerning: Portugal needs stronger growth in clean electricity to meet rising demand from electrification and expanding digital infrastructure.

Suggestions

Portugal can build on its established wind and solar sectors by expanding both, alongside the grids and storage needed to use their output effectively. Relevant European examples include Denmark, where wind supplies about 58% of electricity generation, and Ireland, where it supplies roughly a third. For solar, North Macedonia’s 40% share and the US state of California’s 30% demonstrate the scope for a much larger contribution. Portugal should also consider developing nuclear electricity, drawing lessons from neighboring Spain, where nuclear provides about 18% of generation, and France, where it provides around two-thirds. Combining expanded wind and solar with dependable low-carbon nuclear generation would strengthen Portugal’s clean electricity supply and help displace fossil fuels, reducing climate-changing emissions and air pollution.

History

Portugal’s low-carbon electricity history shows repeated large swings in hydropower generation rather than steady growth. A gain of about 5 TWh in 1977 was followed by a decline of more than 6 TWh in 1989. During the 1990s, hydro fell by about 4 TWh in 1992, recovered by more than 6 TWh in 1996, and dropped by roughly 5 TWh in 1999. The 2000s brought further volatility: substantial falls in 2002, 2004 and 2005 contrasted with gains of nearly 8 TWh in 2003 and more than 6 TWh in 2006. In the 2010s, strong increases in 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2018 alternated with significant declines, including a particularly sharp 9 TWh drop in 2017. More recently, hydropower fell by nearly 5 TWh in 2022 before recovering by 6 TWh in 2023. These fluctuations reinforce the value of expanding a diverse mix of low-carbon electricity sources.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

* 12M = Last 12 months (Nov 2025 – Oct 2026) — a rolling 12-month period, not a calendar year.