Portugal among the 5 main countries in the EU in renewable energy participation in the transportation sector

Transport in Portugal is becoming cleaner and more efficient, with a growing share of renewable energies replacing fossil fuels. The position among the top five in the European Union confirms a solid path, but still faces challenges until 2030.

Portugal in the top 5 of the EU: what renewable leadership in transport means

The numbers tell a clear story: the share of renewable energies in the transport sector in Portugal reached 14.3% in 2024. This figure places the country among the top five in the EU, above the average for the bloc, which was 11.2%. The comparative reading is revealing of the progress, but also of the work ahead: the European target for 2030 is set at 29%, requiring consistent acceleration.

In the 2024 ranking, Portugal ranked just behind Sweden (26.3%), Finland (20.3%), Netherlands (19.7%), and Austria (14.5%). On the opposite side, countries like Croatia (0.9%), Greece (3.9%), and Czech Republic (5.7%) recorded the lowest shares, showing that the transition does not take place uniformly.

The progress is even more significant when looking at historical evolution. At the beginning of the series, in 2004, the EU had only 1.4% of renewables in transport; two decades later, it reached 11.2%. In Portugal, the transformation was more intense: it rose from 0.4% in 2004 to 14.3% in 2024. This leap is not a coincidence but the result of public policies, acceleration of electric mobility, waste biofuels, and investment in smart grids.

An important note: 19 countries increased their share compared to 2023, including Portugal, which rose from 11.1% to 14.3%, a gain of 3.3 p.p.. Special mention to Latvia (+7.4 p.p.) and Netherlands (+6.2 p.p.). Sweden, which had exceeded the target with 33.6% in 2023, saw a correction in 2024, falling by 7.2 p.p.; still, it remains a leader.

What counts for this metric? It includes renewable electricity for electric and rail vehicles, advanced biofuels (produced from waste and sustainable raw materials), biomethane injected into the grid, and, to a lesser extent, green hydrogen. The ideal balance combines direct electrification for light and urban vehicles, biomethane/advanced biofuels for heavy-duty vehicles, and sustainable aviation for routes where electrification is still not feasible.

It’s worth linking this data to the electrical system. In 2024, Portugal was one of the countries with the highest percentage of electricity generated from renewables, driven by wind and hydropower. European reports showed that solar and wind energy have already surpassed fossil fuels in several periods throughout the year. There were weeks when, for one-third of the annual hours, more than half of the national electric production was wind or solar. It is this decarbonized electric base that supports green electric mobility.

To clarify the relative position, the table below summarizes the key values and helps visualize the distance to 2030.

The central message is pragmatic: there is a good starting point and a favorable electric base; the next leap will depend on scaling electrification, ensuring sustainable biofuels, and expanding infrastructure. The pace, not just the direction, will be decisive.

Houses, neighborhoods, and electric mobility: how to integrate renewable energy into your travels

Renewable transport does not exist in isolation; it works best when it engages with the home and the neighborhood. In Portugal, buildings with photovoltaic panels, storage systems, and smart charging are multiplying. When the energy from the roof powers your car, the bill goes down and energy autonomy increases, without tricks.

Imagine a condominium in Setúbal with 30 apartments and 20 parking spaces with 7.4 kW wallboxes. The central management reads the daily solar production, prioritizes charging for vehicles that need to leave early, and avoids power peaks. The result? Lower contracted power costs, higher self-consumption rates, and reduced emissions in the neighborhood.

Smart charging at home: simple steps that multiply the effect of your solar

Nighttime charging can be cheap, but when solar is available at home, it makes sense to shift some to sunny hours. Simple programmers in the charger or vehicle allow 80–90% of the energy to come from your roof on sunny days. In homes with a domestic battery, the solar + battery + EV combination ensures daily travel of 20–40 km on self-generated energy.

In neighborhoods with shared parking, the rule is to distribute power. Instead of 20 stations at 7.4 kW, a dynamic balancing solution delivers 1.4–3.6 kW to each vehicle over several hours. For short daily trips, this is sufficient. And when someone needs fast charging, the system automatically assigns priority.

V2H and V2G: your car as a battery for the building

The Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) technology allows the vehicle to supply energy back to the home, reducing peaks and protecting the electricity bill. Meanwhile, the Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) helps the grid by charging when there is an excess of renewables and exporting during peak times. In Portugal, the maturity of the renewable system makes these solutions particularly interesting in areas with strong nighttime wind production.

An engineering study applied to a pilot neighborhood in Alentejo showed that with 20% of vehicles compatible with V2H, the maximum powers of the local grid fell by 15–25%. This buffer reduces investments in infrastructure and improves stability.

Synergies extend to work. Companies that install photovoltaic roofs in parks can supply internal fleets and provide charging for employees. The right incentive policy (preferred parking spots, transparent tariffs) reinforces adoption without significant additional costs.

Whether you are in a house or an apartment, there is always a proportional solution: reinforced sockets with programming schedules, small solar kits on parking roofs, or energy cooperatives for production sharing. The logic is to invest in what is within reach and gradually scale up sensibly.

What you can do now: 9 practical actions to reduce emissions in your transport

Day-to-day decisions drive the indicator. The difference between staying average and leading lies in consistent, repeated, and well-informed choices. Here’s a straightforward roadmap, with real and measurable impact.

• 🚴‍♀️ Swap 1–2 short trips for an electric bicycle: saves emissions and time in the city.
• 🚌 Use public transport on well-served routes; many corridors already operate with green electricity.
• 🔌 Adopt smart charging: schedule for solar or lower tariff hours.
• 🌞 If you have a roof, install photovoltaics and connect it to your charger; it’s the cheapest “fuel”.
• ♻️ Prefer advanced biofuels in fleets and machinery, always with sustainability certification.
• 🚗 Share: carpool for repetitive trips and carsharing to reduce the need for a second car.
• 🗺️ Plan routes: eco-route tools reduce consumption by 5–10% effortlessly.
• 🏢 If you manage a condominium, implement shared wallboxes with dynamic balancing.
• 📈 Measure: track kWh/100 km or fuel consumption; what gets measured improves.

For municipalities and companies, there are additional steps. Contract transportation services with emission targets, implement multimodal hubs, and create incentives for deliveries using cargo bicycles change the urban profile quickly. Pilot programs with biomethane in municipal fleets are another avenue: the biogas from local waste becomes clean and circular fuel.

A common mistake to avoid: betting on conventional biofuels from agricultural sources when there are uncertainties about sustainability. In Portugal, prioritize waste, used cooking oils, and lignocellulosic materials. The goal is to cut emissions without creating new problems.

If you retain one idea, let it be this: small repeated changes create cleaner pathways and lighter bills. Consistency matters more than a single big gesture.

Construction, materials, and logistics: transport less, better, and with low emissions

The way we build influences the impact of transportation. Construction sites can be major consumers of diesel and generators of heavy traffic. The good news is that there are a set of simple, effective solutions with rapid returns, aligned with the same logic that guides renewable transport.

The first is logistics planning. Consolidating deliveries, choosing nearby suppliers, correctly sizing storage at the site, and coordinating subcontractors reduce truck and van trips. In urban rehabilitations, weekly coordination saves redundant trips and minimizes local congestion.

Electric equipment is gaining ground. Electric cranes and mini-excavators eliminate on-site fuels and apply to many construction fronts. When combined with renewable energy contracts, emissions drop significantly. For small and medium-sized tools, standardized shared batteries avoid diesel generators.

The transport of materials also matters. Investing in structural wood from certified chains and with regional production reduces kilometers and lifecycle emissions. Prefabricated elements, in addition to speeding up construction, shorten heavy transportation periods. If the project requires concrete, using cements with additives and optimized routes to nearby plants is halfway there.

In cities, last-mile logistics can shift to cargo bicycles and electric vans, especially during time windows of lower traffic. National companies already distribute lightweight materials and construction consumables in this way, freeing streets and improving the air we breathe.

On the management side, BIM and digital tools allow for simulating flows, reducing errors, and avoiding unnecessary transport. Less rework means fewer trips. In applications for environmental certifications, integrating transportation metrics makes the gain visible and helps maintain focus.

How does it all connect? The same renewable energy that powers buses and trains can fuel construction, chargers at the site, and the company fleet. Temporary electric conduits with dedicated tariffs and micro-PV in containers are transitional strategies already functioning in real projects.

The message is clear: transporting better is just as important as building better. Optimizing the movement of people and materials shortens deadlines, costs, and emissions.

By 2030: accelerate intelligently to transform the top 5 into sustainable leadership

The target of 29% renewables in transport by 2030 is ambitious and achievable if the country combines three fronts: rapid electrification where feasible, advanced biofuels and biomethane for hard-to-decarbonize segments, and infrastructure that supports growth. The goal is to double the share in six years while maintaining the environmental integrity of the sources.

On the electrical side, Portugal’s competitive advantage is clear: high penetration of wind and hydropower, along with growing solar potential. In 2024, several months had over 75% renewable electricity, with peaks above 80%. This base should be leveraged to expand fast charging corridors on major road connections, strengthen networks in neighborhoods, and facilitate the installation of charging in condominiums.

For heavy-duty vehicles and municipal fleets, biomethane from residual sources is an asset. Integrating anaerobic digestion units linked to wastewater treatment plants and agro-industrial waste creates a virtuous cycle: transforming local waste into fuel and reducing methane emissions. With medium-term supply contracts, bus fleets and waste collection can migrate quickly.

Aviation and maritime transport require specific solutions. In the short term, sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and advanced biofuels for navigation ensure measurable reductions. Meanwhile, pilot projects for green hydrogen in port logistics pave the way for the medium term.

However, there are traps to avoid. The expansion of conventional biofuels with a risk of indirect land use change can nullify climate gains. The focus should remain on residual raw materials and technologies with robust proof. Clear regulation and effective monitoring are as important as technology.

Faster licensing aligned with European directives helps untie knots. Simplifying the installation of charging points in shared garages, standardizing pre-installation in new buildings, and allowing energy sharing in communities are steps with a multiplying effect. In the real estate market, equipping buildings with infrastructure ready for electric mobility is no longer extra but the new basic.

Finally, communication. People are more inclined to adopt when they understand the why and how. Highlighting real savings per kilometer, showing reductions in street noise, and showcasing local success stories builds trust. A neighborhood that publishes its kWh charged from the roof monthly inspires neighbors to follow the same path.

The vision is pragmatic: every street with solar charging, every bus with biomethane, and every construction with optimized logistics brings us closer to the goal. Leadership is built with smart, repeatedly made decisions.

Action for today: choose one trip this week to make with clean energy — schedule charging during sunny hours, use electric public transport, or join a carpool. The first step is simple, the effect accumulates.

Source: www.jornaldenegocios.pt