Spain reached a historic milestone in 2023 by generating 50.4% of its electricity from renewable sources, marking the first time annual production exceeded the 50% threshold, according to Spanish power grid operator Red Electrica de Espana (REE). The achievement, based on provisional data, set new records for the share of renewables in the generation mix and total output, which approached 135,000 GWh.
In December alone, renewables accounted for 54.6% of the power generation mix, contributing 12,354 GWh, a 24.6% increase compared to the same period in the previous year. Wind power emerged as the leading technology for the third consecutive month, constituting 26.2% of the December generation mix.
Hydro power claimed the third spot, representing 18.3% of the national total, while solar photovoltaic energy accounted for 8.2%, a slight decrease from the estimated 9.1% in the previous month.
Spain's gross demand for electricity in December was estimated at 21,125 GWh, reflecting a 4.1% year-on-year increase. Adjusted for working hours and temperatures, demand rose by 3.8% compared to the previous year.
For the entire year 2023, Spain experienced a 2.3% drop in gross electricity demand to 244,686 GWh. In adjusted terms, demand decreased by 1.9% compared to 2022.
