In a spin: Storm Martinho turns Portugal’s turbines to break wind power records

Electricity produced by wind power in Portugal has hit an all-time high, fuelled by the strong winds of Storm Martinho.

The total daily production of electricity generated by wind totalled 112.4 GWh, energy company and national grid operator Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN) said on Thursday.

“The Martinho depression also allowed for a new maximum wind power of 5080 MW at 12.15pm,” REN said in a statement.

The wind production recorded on Wednesday supplied 56% of the country’s electricity consumption, the national grid operator said. On the same day, all renewable production was responsible for supplying 92% of the country’s electricity needs.

Since the beginning of the year, renewable energy has accounted for 79% of Portugal’s national consumption, which is broken down into 39% from hydropower, 28% from wind, 7% from solar and 5% generated from biomass.

“These records confirm that Portugal has maintained a sustainable trajectory in the progressive incorporation of endogenous renewable sources, while maintaining the primary objectives of security of supply and quality of service in the National Electricity System, even in more adverse situations such as yesterday’s,” concluded REN.

Last month, renewable production supplied 78% of electricity consumption in Portugal.

And in January, conditions were evvel again very favourable for hydroelectric power, with a production index of 1.28. Portugal’s historical average has been one.

But at the other end of the scale, REN says conditions were generally unfavourable for both wind and photovoltaic power, with the respective indices registering 0.71 and 0.83, respectively.

In the case of solar energy, the continued increase in installed power has made it possible to maintain high year-on-year growth (27%), with power delivered to the grid reaching peaks of around 2,800 MW for the first time.

In January and February, the hydropower capability index stood at 1.25, wind power at 1.00 and solar power at 0.82.