Europe accelerates its energy transition — and Portugal stands out

Europe continues to strengthen its commitment to renewable energy, although the pace of this transition still varies between countries. A new Eurostat report, published by Visual Capitalist, reveals that in 2024 almost half of the European Union’s net electricity production came from renewable sources — a historic record confirming the continent’s shift toward clean energy.

However, progress is not uniform. While Western European countries have reached high percentages, several Central and Eastern nations remain dependent on fossil fuels. In this context, Portugal stands out as one of the countries leading the change.

Portugal’s growing investment in solar energy

With favourable climate conditions and a strong policy of clean energy incentives, Portugal has established itself as one of Europe’s main producers of renewable energy.
Recent data show that wind power represents about 39% of national renewable generation, followed by hydropower at 29.9% and solar energy at 22.4% — one of the fastest-growing segments each year.

In recent summers, the country has broken records in solar power production, driven by large photovoltaic plants and the rise of residential and business self-consumption. This evolution shows that Portugal’s energy future lies in distributed generation and smart use of solar resources.

The European trend: fewer fossils, more renewables

The same report indicates that 47.3% of the EU’s total electricity generation in 2024 came from renewable sources, an increase of 7.7% compared to the previous year.
Conversely, fossil fuels dropped by 7.2%, a clear sign that Europe is moving towards a more sustainable and resilient energy mix.

The challenge remains to balance the growing demand for energy — driven by sectors such as data centres and electric mobility — with the need to cut emissions and ensure energy independence.

The role of self-consumption and solar solutions

In Portugal, solar self-consumption has become one of the key drivers of this transition. By allowing families and businesses to produce and use their own energy, the country reduces grid dependency, improves efficiency, and contributes directly to carbon neutrality goals.

Solutions such as photovoltaic panels, energy storage batteries, and electric vehicle chargers are now the smartest way to turn energy consumption into a sustainable investment — for both the planet and the economy.

Conclusion: moving towards a 100% renewable future

Portugal continues to prove that it is possible to grow with clean energy by integrating solar, wind, and hydro power into an increasingly efficient system.
The challenge in the coming years will be to maintain this pace and extend the energy transition to all sectors and regions, making the country a true European sustainability benchmark.

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