Solar PV leads the electricity sector in May for the first time in history with 23.8% of the total.
Solar photovoltaic for the first time in history advanced technologies of the Spanish generation “mix” in Maywhich is 23.8% of the total, according to Spanish electrical network.
Within a month, this technology produced 5098 gigawatt-hours (GWh)a figure that reflects an increase 31.6% compared to May 2023, and thus became an all-time high for both production and quota.
Besides, On May 24, solar photovoltaics broke the daily production record. from 199 GWh, which meant share 29% of the total, the highest in its history in terms of daily generation structure.
In May this year, renewables produced 13,520 GWh, up 16.4% from May last year and accounting for 63% of the total.
After the sun photoelectric, wind It was the second technology with the highest electricity production in May at 20.2% of the total; followed by nuclear (16.5%), from hydraulics (14.3%), and combined cycles (8.9%).
In total for the year wind leads in contribution to the “mix” with 25.2%; ahead nuclear (18.3%), hydraulics (16.9%), Solar photovoltaic (15.1%) and combined cycles (10.4%).
Thanks to this growth from renewables, 81.4% of the electricity produced in Spain in May contained no CO2-equivalent emissions.
National demand
From my side, national electricity demand May saw an increase of 1.1% compared to the same month the previous year, excluding the effects of temperature and work schedule. In gross terms, demand is estimated at 19,432 GWh, up 1.7% from May 2023.
Meanwhile, in the first five months of this year, Spain recorded demand of 101,423 GWh, up 1.2% from the same period in 2023.
At the peninsula level, when the effects of work and temperature are taken into account, demand was 1% higher than in May 2023. In gross terms, demand this month was 18,198 GWh, up 1.5% from the same month the previous year. In the first five months of the year, demand on the peninsula amounted to 95,493 GWh, which is 1.1% higher than in 2023.
He the peninsular renewable energy portfolio produced 65.2% of the total in May. According to preliminary data available today, production is 13,261 GWh, up 16.3% from the same month of the previous year. In turn, emission-free technologies accounted for 84.6% of the total.
Solar photovoltaic energy also led the generation mix on the peninsula in May, accounting for 24.6% of the total, generating 5,007 GWh that month.
Grows on the Balearic and Canary Islands.
Concerning Balearic Islands, electricity demand in May amounted to 3.8% higher than the same month in 2023 when the effects of work and temperatures are taken into account.
Thus, gross demand is estimated at 482,454 MWh, which is 4.9% more than in May last year. From January to May 2024, gross demand in the Balearic Islands is estimated at 2,194,167 MWh, an increase of 1.4% compared to the same period in 2023.
As for the generation combined cycle, with 59.2% of energy produced in the Balearic Islands became the first source on the islands this month.
For its part, CO2-equivalent-free renewable energy generated in the Balearic Community accounts for 20% of the total, the largest share recorded in the archipelago. Renewable energy production in the Balearic Islands increased by 54.6% in May compared to the same month the previous year. In addition, the submarine connection between the peninsula and Mallorca contributed to covering 24.4% of electricity demand in the Balearic Islands this month.
Meanwhile, in Canary archipelagodemand for electricity increased by 2.8% compared to the same month in 2023, taking into account the influence of work and temperatures. In gross terms, demand amounted to 719,502 MWh, or 2.5% more. In the first five months of 2024, demand in the Canary Islands is estimated at 3,581,092 MWh, an increase of 3.5% compared to the same period in 2023.
Regarding electricity production in the Canary Islands, combined cycle, accounting for 38.4% of the total, was the first source in May. The share of renewable energy sources and zero-emission technologies reached 25.8% of production, with wind power accounting for 20.9%. Renewable energy production in the Canary Islands increased by 12% in May compared to that recorded in the same month in 2023.