Energy...out of sight, out of mind!

It is well known that Portugal relies heavily on imported energy. Even tough it imports less energy today than 20 years ago, the reality is simple: as stated in the IEA 2021 report, “Portugal remains reliant on imported fossil fuels, which accounted for 76% of primary energy supply in 2019 (43% oil, 24% natural gas and 6% coal)”.

Yet, Portuguese energy imports do not rely solely on fossil fuels. Although “Portugal has also achieved high shares of renewable energy, which covered 30.6% of gross final energy demand in 2019.” and “hydropower and wind generation, renewables covered 54%” the fact is that part of the electricity is also imported. 

Yet, Portuguese energy imports do not rely solely on fossil fuels. Although “Portugal has also achieved high shares of renewable energy, which covered 30.6% of gross final energy demand in 2019.” and “hydropower and wind generation, renewables covered 54%” the fact is that part of the electricity is also imported. 

According to REN (“National Electric Network/grid”) October 2021 bulletin, 21.5 % of electricity used in Portugal was imported. But where is this electricity imported from? And more importably, what is the energy source used to produce it?

Government, renewable and environmental associations keep trying to makes us believe, often repeating it like a mantra, that imported electricity is renewable energy. Nonetheless, that is far from true. In reality is virtually impossible to trace the origin of imported electricity. The problematic is such that electricity providers created a “Guarantee of Origin” or simply and neatly “GO”. Although it is possible to guarantee renewable energy provenance straight out of a producing facility, the same cannot be guaranteed as soon as it is mixed in the electric grid, particularly when it goes across countries. The search for the origin of imported electricity usually ends up in a foggy place, where is difficult to see the clear picture. 

Still, there are some trails that can be followed in this mist. Portuguese electricity imports comes predominately from three countries: Spain, France and Morocco. As we all know, both France and Spain still do not have enough hydro, wind solar and biomass to fulfil all year around its domestic needs. Percentage-wise, these countries produce less renewables energy than Portugal. Excess of renewable energy only happens sporadically, often in the same periods of the year that Portugal also has surplus. Consequently, it is unlikely that Portugal uses renewable surplus coming from these counties. Imported electricity from France and Spain is predominately nuclear and, to a lesser extent, also derived from fossil fuels. Bear in mind that these sources are still the main feeders of the electricity grid and are used as back-up systems when renewables are not producing enough energy... which is basically more than 2/3 of the year. Although nuclear does not emit CO2 and is considered a renewable source by some analyst, it is far from being a clean or even renewable energy, at least in human timescale.

Regarding Morocco, political leaders want voters to believe that electricity coming from this country is as clean or even cleaner than Portugal electricity mix. Although the country has plenty of sun to produce solar energy, and is planing to build large solar farms in the near future, the fact is that only 2% of the electricity produced in Morocco is solar. So, what is the real source of electricity that Portugal imports from Morocco? The other cosmetic answer often provided by politicians is gas (the less pollutant of fossil fuels). Yet, energy experts know that Morocco only has marginal gas reserves and that all gas used in Morocco comes from neighboring Algeria. Well, even this is no longer correct. Just recently a diplomatic row between both countries left the Maghreb-Europe pipeline dry, and consequently left Morocco without gas supplies. Even when this pipeline was flowing, only 10 % of Morocco electricity was produced from gas in 2019. In 2019, only 34 % of Morocco electricity was renewable, much less than in Portugal. Considering the recent political developments, gas-sourced electricity production will be even less than 10%, at leats until the diplomatic row is settled, or other cheap gas options are available for this north African country. So, more than half of the electricity coming from Morocco is in fact sourced from coal and oil, summing up 56%. Until solar expansion achieves the forecasted capacity, which will take at least a decade, coal and oil will continue to dominate Morocco electricity production.

Concluding, the great majority of the 21.5% of net electricity imports into Portugal comes ultimately from nuclear, coal, oil or gas sources.

Considering the above, a couple of notes regarding imported electricity in the present day Portuguese electric context. Regarding coal production, just remember that early this year two major power plants were closed in Portugal (Pego and Sines) in an effort to reduce Portuguese emissions. Regarding nuclear, we all know Portugal position, at least until now. Even tough it has large reserves of uranium and Almaraz, an old nuclear reactor, next to its border, the nation has always been against installing a nuclear power plant in its territory.

In sum, more than a fifth of our electricity is being provided by suppliers that are trying to makes us believe that imported electricity is clean renewable energy, when in fact it is not. Nonetheless, importing electricity at higher costs from countries that are selling us what we are apparently trying to avoid producing in Portugal, i.e. coal, nuclear and oil, does not seems to bother our decision makers.

Decision makers keep trying to paint a portrait, that is nothing more than a confusing splash of paint, in a continuous quest to attract more electors with false rhetoric.

Decision makers keep trying to paint a portrait, that is nothing more than a confusing splash of paint, in a continuous quest to attract more electors with false rhetoric. On other hand, NIMBY (“not in my back yard”) apologist keep invoking all sort of fallacies that are ultimately leading Portugal to be even more dependent on energy imports, coming from sources far away from our socio-environmental standards and believes and, apparently, future energy goals.

Can you guess what should be the silver lining of all this?

#energy #sustainableenergy #sustainability #energiaportugal #energia #energymix