Portugal Energy Information

Total Energy Consumption

Consumption per capita is 31% lower than the EU average at 2 toe, 4 500 kWh of which is electricity (15% below the EU average) (2020).

Graph: CONSUMPTION TRENDS BY ENERGY SOURCE (Mtoe)

Total energy consumption has been decreasing by 4.2%/year since 2017 to 21.8 Mtoe in 2020, including a -7.5% drop in 2020. Previously, it declined by 3%/year between 2005 and 2012 with the economic recession and increased slightly between 2012 and 2017 (+0.5%/year).

Interactive Chart Portugal Total Energy Consumption

Crude Oil Production

Portugal does not produce oil and has imported 11.6 Mt of crude oil in 2020 (-11% compared to 2019). In 2020, the main crude oil suppliers were Brazil (37%), Nigeria (17%), Angola (10%) and Saudi Arabia (10%).

The country produced 11.6 Mt of petroleum products in 2020 (-11% compared to 2019). Portugal has a refining capacity of 220 kb/d corresponding to the Sines refinery in Porto. The Matosinhos refinery (110 kb/d, also in Porto) was shut in down in April 2020. Portugal is a net exporter of oil products (5.1 Mt exported vs 3 Mt imported in 2020).

Interactive Chart Portugal Crude Oil Production

Oil Products Consumption

Oil product consumption remained roughly stable at around 9 Mt since 2013. It decreased rapidly between 2005 and 2012 (-6.9%/year).

The transport sector is the largest oil consumer (57% in 2020), followed by industry (22%, including non-energy uses), buildings and agriculture (10%), and the hydrocarbon industry (8%).

Graph: OIL CONSUMPTION (Mt)

Graph: OIL CONSUMPTION BREAKDOWN BY SECTOR (2020, %)

Interactive Chart Portugal Refined Oil Products Production

Natural Gas Consumption

Gas consumption increased rapidly since 2014 due to an increase in demand from power plants, partly cause by a lower hydropower availability. In 2018, it decreased by 7% and subsequently increased in 2019 to 6 bcm. It remained stable in 2020.

The share of gas used for power generation has been increasing since 2014 (62% in 2020). Industry accounts for 24% of total gas consumption and buildings for 11%.

Graph: NATURAL GAS CONSUMPTION (bcm)

Interactive Chart Portugal Natural Gas Domestic Consumption

Coal Consumption

Almost the totality of the coal consumption is used for power generation; consumption levels depend on hydropower generation and price spreads with gas. Coal consumption was divided by 5 since 2017 to 1 Mt in 2020.

Graph: COAL CONSUMPTION (Mt)

Graph: COAL CONSUMPTION BREAKDOWN BY SECTOR (2020, %)

Interactive Chart Portugal Coal and Lignite Domestic Consumption

Power Consumption

Electricity consumption fell by 4.5% in 2020 to 46 TWh, after a 1.5% drop in 2019.

In 2020, industry and services remained the largest electricity consumers with a 34% and 33% share, respectively. Households held a 28% share in power consumption.

Graph: ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION (TWh)

Graph: ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION BREAKDOWN BY SECTOR (2020,%)

Renewable in % Electricity Production

ADENE is also the national agency responsible for renewables.

Portugal's NECP 2030 (2021-2030) sets a target to reach 47% of RES contribution final energy consumption (from around 30% in 2020). In the short-term, Portugal's strategy is to launch two new auctions to add injection capacity totalling 2 GW of new renewable capacity. The latest tender was held in 2020 and awarded 700 MW of solar (with most capacity to be asosciated with BESS). The governement also plans to launch a call for 500 MW of new floating solar power capacity in 2021.

Interactive Chart Portugal Share of Renewables in Electricity Production (incl hydro)

CO₂ Fuel Combustion/CO₂ Emissions

GHG emissions grew by 12% between 2013 and 2017 and dropped by 4% in 2018 to 72 MtCO₂eq; they decreased steadily by 3.4%/year from 2005 to 2013 (from 88 MtCO₂eq).

The NECP aims to reduce emissions (without LULUCF) by 45-55% in 2030 compared to 2005 levels. Under the Roadmap for Carbon Neutrality 2050 (Roteiro para a Neutralidade Carbónica, RCN 2050), Portugal committed to carbon neutrality by 2050.