Lisbon, June 18, 2026 (Lusa) - Renewable energy accounted for 72.7% of the electricity generated in mainland Portugal in May, totalling 2,651 gigawatt-hours (GWh), the Portuguese Renewable Energy Association (APREN) announced on Thursday.
According to the association’s bulletin, 2,651 GWh were generated from renewable energy sources in May, out of a total of 3,648 GWh generated that month.
Since the start of the year, renewable energy production in Portugal has accounted for 76.3% of the total, making it the third European country with the highest share of renewables in electricity generation during this period, behind Norway (96.7%) and Denmark (94.3%).
During the month in question, hydroelectric power remained the main source of electricity generation, accounting for 24.0% of the total, followed by wind power (22.8%) and solar photovoltaic technology (19.8%).
Bioenergy, meanwhile, accounted for 6.0% of generation.
In May, Portugal recorded 79 non-consecutive hours during which renewable generation was sufficient to meet the country’s entire electricity consumption.
Since the start of the year, the national grid has “operated on 100% renewables for 737 hours”.
The association emphasises that the country’s renewable performance continues to be reflected in electricity prices.
In May, the average price on the Iberian Electricity Market (MIBEL) in Portugal stood at €86.1 per megawatt-hour (MWh), whilst the average price for the period from January to May was €44.5/MWh, representing a 27.2% reduction compared with the same period in 2025.
From an economic and environmental perspective, APREN estimates that the contribution of renewables has made it possible to avoid, between January and May, around €442 million in natural gas imports, €351 million in electricity imports and €290 million in costs relating to carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission allowances.
According to Susana Serôdio, APREN’s Policy and Market Intelligence Leader, “the May figures show that Portugal continues to be one of the European countries with the highest share of renewables in the electricity sector. However, there is an urgent need to continue investing and to remove the barriers that currently exist. Only by streamlining processes and optimising our infrastructure will we be able to harness the full potential of the green energy we are capable of producing”.
JO/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
