Renewable Energies in Portugal: An Exploratory Analysis of Parliamentary Debates, 1976-2020

In Portugal, the oil crisis of the 1970s triggered a political debate on reducing the country's heavy external dependence on fossil fuels and forced the government to take measures to save energy and promote the development of alternative energies, particularly from renewable sources. The development of Portugal's renewable energy policy can be divided into three historical phases. The first phase begins with the first oil shock, which was characterised by the change of political regime in Portugal in 1974. The second phase begins with Portugal's accession to the European Community (EC) in 1986. Finally, the third phase, since the beginning of the 21st century, is characterised by a strong and relatively stable prioritisation of the energy transition at national level and an increasing Europeanisation of renewable energy policy. Against this backdrop, the exploratory analysis in this paper describes the evolution of arguments and framings used in the statements of government representatives, political parties, regulatory agencies, and other actors involved in the parliamentary debates on the subject of renewable energies at plenary meetings of the Assembly of the Republic (AR).