Fossil fuels still dominate electricity generation in the Azores
Fuel oil and diesel account for 69% of electricity produced in the Azores, according to EDA data, underscoring the scale of the islands' energy transition.
Fossil fuels supply 69% of the electricity produced in the Azores, according to data published by Eletricidade dos Açores (EDA) and reported by Açoriano Oriental on 24 September. The figure shows that the region’s electricity generation remains predominantly reliant on petroleum-based fuels.
Fuel oil accounts for 61.3% of total generation, while diesel contributes another 7.7%. Together, the two sources provide more than two-thirds of the archipelago’s electricity. Renewable sources account for less than one-third, according to the figures cited by the newspaper.
These are figures for the Azores as a whole; the published information does not provide an island-by-island breakdown. The regional share should therefore not be read as the generation mix of each island’s electricity system.
For residents and businesses, the figures show the scale of the change required in regional electricity generation. A larger contribution from renewable sources would reduce the share currently supplied by fuel oil and diesel, although the cited data set out no timetable for that change.
More news
October 5
Quality of the visitor experience takes centre stage as tourism slows
Bolieiro calls for a joint response to slower tourism in the Azores, linking service quality with a proposed €17 million promotion budget for 2027.
October 5
Lajes inquiry brings Portuguese government's role into focus
An inquiry into US use of Lajes puts the Portuguese government's role in focus. Bolieiro says the Azorean government has not been contacted in the case.
October 5
Travel for abortion care highlights healthcare challenges in the Azores
In 2025, 34.2% of women living in the Azores who had an abortion travelled outside the region, according to Portugal's Directorate-General of Health.