In the quest to shift away from fossil fuels in favor of cleaner, environmentally friendly power, Portugal hit a milestone when the country utilized 100% renewable electricity for four straight days. This effort began in 2016, when Portugal initiated a commitment to sustainable energy.

The top clean electricity producers are hydropower plants, followed by windmills, biomass-fueled plants, and then solar farms. As of early 2021, the combination of these renewables averaged 70 to 80% of Portugal’s energy needs.

While fossil fuels are still used to fill in the gaps during cloudy or windless days, the country hopes to be using 100% renewable energy by 2040. This shift to cleaner power is also an economic win, as it creates more jobs and lowers energy bills for consumers.

And, as Portugal expands its renewable grids, industry groups are looking to export the country’s green energy surpluses both inside and outside of Europe.

Portugal is not alone, as this sustainable energy trend is spreading across much of Europe. Germany, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Denmark, and Austria are all using and increasing their reliance on clean energy, setting a positively clean and green example for the rest of the world.

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