Amid rising energy prices and growing concerns over supply security in Europe, Minister of the Economy, SME, Energy, and Tourism Lex Delles used a visit to Portugal to highlight cooperation on renewables and the need for coordinated action and energy-saving measures.
In terms of energy consumption, Portugal managed to generate 83% of its electricity from renewable sources in the first months of the year.
During the visit of her Luxembourg counterpart, Portugal’s Minister for Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho highlighted that the country had reached this level through a mix of wind, solar, hydropower, and even geothermal energy. With this, the country of 10 million inhabitants has become a European leader, one from which Luxembourg could also indirectly benefit.
Carvalho explained that Portugal and Luxembourg are, in many ways, complementary. She outlined that investment in renewable energy projects in Portugal could partially benefit Luxembourg through statistical transfers, as permitted under European directives, paving the way for joint investment approaches in such projects.
Renewable energy production, whether wind, water, or solar, is cheaper in Portugal than in Luxembourg. This is why European mechanisms exist that allow Luxembourg to support projects abroad, as is already the case in Finland and Estonia.
Both ministers followed an informal meeting of European energy ministers via videoconference from Lisbon. The discussions focused, among other things, on coordinating responses at a time when energy prices are rising sharply, in order to prevent markets from becoming unstable.
Delles pointed to concerns over gas reserves. He explained that current reserves stand at around 28%, and while there are European coordination mechanisms encouraging countries to refill reserves to a certain threshold, doing so too quickly could further increase pressure on gas markets.
He stressed the importance of coordination at European level, as well as the need to consider mechanisms to reduce dependency and accelerate the production of renewable energy.
Energy conservation is set to become a key topic, with Luxembourg’s Climate Agency – the national advisory and information platform for the energy transition – expected to raise awareness in Luxembourg in the near future.
Delles highlighted simple everyday questions people can ask themselves: whether it is necessary to take the car for a 300-metre journey instead of walking, whether public transport could be used instead, whether heating needs to be turned up when no one is at home, or whether lights should be switched off when leaving a room.
He emphasised that these small, often overlooked actions can collectively make a difference. Not only do they help reduce costs for households, but they also contribute to preserving energy reserves at a time when supply disruptions remain a possibility.
