Portugal is on course to advance forward its carbon neutrality According to Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, developments in public transportation, hydrogen technology, and the shutdown of coal-fired power plants are paving the way for Portugal to achieve its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2045 rather than 2050.
Portugal was one of the first nations in the world to set a goal of becoming carbon neutral by the year 2050, and the country’s Roadmap for Carbon Neutrality demonstrates a strong commitment to electrifying its economy and ensuring a safe and affordable energy transition. ‘ The International Energy Agency (IEA) is eager to assist the Portuguese government in its efforts to make the transition to a carbon-neutral economy fair and inclusive.’ according to Fatih Birol, (IEA Executive Director) who launched a policy review with Portugal’s Minister Joo Pedro Matos Fernandes for the Environment and Climate Action
The IEA policy analysis states that Portugal still faces significant obstacles in achieving its energy and climate targets due to its economy’s continued reliance on imported fossil fuels. The study applauds the measures the administration is taking to deal with these issues. In the following years, about 2 gigawatts of new renewable generation should go online as a result of a successful auction procedure for renewable energy projects, tripling Portugal’s solar PV capacity.
With nearly EUR 10 billion invested in electrified rail and public transportation, tax advantages for electric vehicles, and support for charging infrastructure, Portugal is working to reduce oil demand and the emissions that go along with it. By cutting off coal-fired electricity generation in 2021, Portugal is also making a significant contribution to cutting emissions and reducing reliance on energy imports.
For Portugal, hydrogen generated from renewable energy plays a crucial role in the hard-to-decarbonize industries and in achieving carbon neutrality.
The National Hydrogen Strategy aims for 1.5–2% of Portugal’s energy needs to be met by hydrogen produced from renewable sources by 2030, including applications in industry, domestic maritime shipping, road transportation, injection into the natural gas network, and possible exports.
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