Analytics, Energy, Latvia

Fuelwood and hydro resources are the main RES in Latvia (in 2012, they took one third of the total consumption of energy resources), followed by the wind energy, biogas, biofuel, straw and other biomass. Solar energy is used only at small amounts within the framework of pilot projects.

Share of selected renewable energy sources in total consumption thereof in Latvia in 2011 and 2012, %

In 2012, fuelwood comprises almost 79% of the total volume of energy resources produced in Latvia. Due to their availability the share thereof in Latvia’s energy resource consumption traditionally ha been high. Already for several years, fuelwood holds stable fourth position (in 2010 - 25.6%, in 2011 and 2012 - 25.4%) in the total consumption of energy resources in Latvia.

Production of woodchip briquettes and pellets have increased by 25.7% and 45.2%, respectively; and that facilitated consumption of the wood necessary for the production thereof (wood waste, woodchip and firewood). Consumption of fuelwood has increased in CHP plants of the transformation sector. Mainly due to the higher consumption of pellets, rise was recorded also in household sector.

In 2012, volume of electricity produced from RES has grown by 33.4%, as compared to the year before, and reached 4105 gigawatt hours (GWh). Share of the electricity produced from RES constituted 66.6% of the total electricity produced and 55% of the total electricity consumption.

The increase mainly was related to the higher electricity production in hydropower plants (3706 GWh in 2012, as compared to 2887 GWh in 2011). Production of electricity from other sources has notably risen as well. Volume of electricity produced from biogas has gone up by 107.5% and reached 222 GWh; whereas volume of electricity produced from biomass has increased 4 times and reached 65 GWh. As new wind power plants were started, also the volume of electricity produced in wind power plants has grown by 57.7% and comprised 112 GWh.

Electricity produced from renewable energy sources

Electrical capacity in hydropower plants and other power plants and CHP plants using RES

*Biomass – firewood, wood waste, wood pellets, biodiesel, straw, grain, manure, peat, etc.

In 2012, RES (fuelwood, straw, other biomass, biogas, biodiesel) comprised 23.3% of the total fuel consumed in the transformation sector (amount of energy resources for the production of electricity and production of heat for sale).Volume of RES in CHP plants in pre cent has grown by almost 6.9%, as compared to 2011. The rise may be explained by the fact that fossil fuels are gradually substituted by RES, e.g., consumption of natural gas in CHP plants and heat plants has dropped by 10% and 8.8%, respectively.

More information in energy sector, including RES is available in CSB database ‘Environment and Energy’ section Energy.

RES have several potential benefits, including smaller gas emissions, diversity of available energy resources, and smaller dependency upon imported energy resources (mainly from natural gas and oil products). Wider use of RES may facilitate employment in the country by creating new jobs in the field of “green technologies”.

In compliance with the European Parliament and Council Directive 2009/28/EC on promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources the share of RES in gross energy consumption in 2020 should comprise 40% (in 2010 those were 32.6% and in 2011 - 33.6%). Moreover, each Member State in 2020 should ensure that the share of energy from RES (biofuel, biogas, electricity produced from RES and consumed in transport) comprises at least 10% of the final energy consumption in transport (in 2009 Latvia reached 1.2%, in 2010 and 2011 - 3.3%).