In 2024, in the Azores, electricity production from renewable sources reached 34%, impacted by the reduction of around 50% of geothermal energy in Terceira, the cause of which has yet to be proven, and by the decrease in wind energy, due to the lower availability of the resource (wind) and the decommissioning of wind turbines at the end of their useful life to be replaced by new, more powerful equipment.
The islands of São Miguel (45%), Flores (46%) and Graciosa (60%) stand out. At certain times of the day, operating the Flores and Graciosa islands was possible using only renewable energy.
EDA is expanding the Pico Vermelho Geothermal Power Plant and revitalizing the Ribeira Grande Geothermal Power Plant, which will significantly increase renewable production on the island of São Miguel to over 65% per year from 2027.
We are also renovating and expanding its wind farms at Figueira, on the island of Santa Maria, Pico da Urze, on the island of São Jorge, and Boca da Vereda, on the island of Flores.
It should be remembered that the wind turbines at these farms, made by the German manufacturer ENERCON, date back to 2002 and were pioneers in the technology used at the time, with a nominal unit power of 300 kW, a rotor shaft height of 44 meters and a blade diameter of 30 meters. This equipment used state-of-the-art technology applied only in the latest generation models with much greater power. It proved perfectly suited to good integration into the Azorean electricity grids. The investment now underway uses the same technology, using wind turbines with greater unit power, also from the ENERCON brand, but with a nominal power of 900 kW, a height at the rotor axis of 55 meters, and a blade diameter of 44 meters. Thus, on the island of Santa Maria, the five wind turbines previously installed, with a total power of 1500 kW, will be replaced by three new wind turbines with a total power of 2700 kW. On the island of São Jorge, the six wind turbines previously installed, with a total power of 1800 kW, will be replaced by five new wind turbines with a total power of 4500 kW. On the island of Flores, the two wind turbines installed, totaling 600 kW, will be replaced by a new 900 kW wind turbine.
The new wind farms are expected to come into operation by the end of 2025, so the wind component of the electricity production mix in the Azores will be influenced by the lack of production on the three islands where the investments are taking place. However, with the conclusion of the investments, which amount to a total of 16.6 million euros, and with the contribution of the rapid response and grid stabilization systems using batteries to be installed by EDA, the annual wind production of these islands should rise from 12% to around 30%.

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.