Lisbon, May 29, 2026 (Lusa) – Petrogal's Sines refinery and airline TAP were Portugal's most polluting facilities in 2025, a year marked by increased emissions from power stations.
The country's 10 most polluting facilities recorded an overall increase in greenhouse gas emissions between 2024 and 2025, according to an assessment released on Friday by the environmental association Zero.
Zero highlighted the most relevant changes between 2024 and 2025 in a statement, noting a significant reduction in emissions at the Sines refinery alongside increased emissions from natural gas thermal power stations. Despite the drop, the Sines refinery remains the most polluting facility for the sixth consecutive year.
The Sines refinery achieved a 16% reduction in emissions compared to 2024, dropping to 2.2 million tonnes, according to Zero's calculations. TAP followed in second place, increasing its emissions by 1% to reach 1.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2).
EDP's Lares Thermal Power Station in Figueira da Foz now occupies third place. The facility climbed five positions from eighth place following a 215% spike in emissions.
Cement plants occupy the subsequent positions. CIMPOR Souselas maintained fourth place after reducing emissions by 1%, while CIMPOR Alhandra took fifth place following a 25% drop in emissions.
Another cement plant, SECIL Outão, appears in eighth place. This represents a drop of three positions on the list after a 22% reduction in emissions.
ELECGÁS in Pego and EDP's Ribatejo Thermal Power Station occupy sixth and seventh places, respectively.
ELECGÁS remained in sixth place but recorded 43% more emissions. EDP Ribatejo registered the highest increase on the list, climbing from a modest 16th place in 2024 to seventh last year, driven by a 326% surge in emissions.
The list concludes with CMP's Maceira and Pataias cement factory in Leiria in ninth place, down two positions, and LUSICAL in Santarém in 10th. The non-hydraulic lime production company dropped one position while maintaining the same emission levels.
The 10 entities combined were responsible for emitting 8.9 million tonnes of CO2 last year, a 7% increase from the 8.3 million tonnes recorded in 2024.
The environmental association noted Galp's reduction was linked to a scheduled shutdown, showing that refining data continues to highlight the weight of fossil fuels in the Portuguese economy and in pollutant emissions. Zero advised further investment in renewables.
The group observed the growing share of natural gas, describing it as the clear result of power generation management following a blackout, which reflected a 1.4-million-tonne increase in emissions from gas thermal plants.
The main carbon dioxide emitting sectors should experience little change in the near future, although the aviation sector expects growth, Zero stated.
Renewable energy production maintained historic highs last year but stabilised compared to 2024.
However, because electricity consumption rose to its highest level ever and imports decreased, the system relied far more on natural gas combined-cycle plants, whose production grew by approximately 97%.
Zero pointed to the need for industrial units to make a transition away from fossil fuels.
The association's work forms part of the LIFE EFFECT project, funded by the European Commission to promote greater civil society participation in decision-making and monitoring processes.
The study relied on European Commission data from the emissions registry linked to the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), which includes major units from sectors with high emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas causing climate change.
FP/RYOL // ADB.
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