Analytics, Energy, Latvia
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Wednesday, 26.03.2025, 08:36
Installed electrical capacity of CHP plants is increasing in Latvia
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CHP plants produced 3005.8 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity, which is 58% of the total produced electricity and 5189.6 GWh of heat – 73% of the total heat produced.
Installed electrical capacity in CHP plants has doubled in time period from 2007–2014. In 2014 there were 9 active CHP plants more than in 2013, and their installed electrical capacity increased by 13.8 MW.
Indicators characterizing activity of CHP plants in 2014
|
Installed electrical capacity of CHP plants |
Number of CHP plants |
Total installed electrical capacity, MW |
Electricity produced, GWh |
Heat produced, GWh |
|
TOTAL |
175 |
1265.3 |
3005.8 |
5189.6 |
|
to 0.2 MW |
21 |
3.0 |
18.4 |
37.9 |
|
from 0.2 to 0.5 MW |
36 |
13.9 |
73.7 |
126.5 |
|
from 0.5 to 1 MW |
56 |
45.2 |
286.1 |
510.8 |
|
from 1 to 5 MW |
55 |
127.8 |
708.9 |
1511.8 |
|
from 5 to 20 MW |
3 |
27.7 |
106.6 |
21.2 |
|
over 20 MW |
4 |
1047.7 |
1812.1 |
2981.4 |
There are four CHP plants with installed electrical capacity over 20 MW, which comprises 83% of the total installed electrical capacity of CHP plants. They produced 60% of the total produced electrical capacity in CHP plants. Three of them are working in Riga, one – in Zemgale region.
CHP plants of Riga had the highest installed electrical capacity in 2014 – 1055.9 MW or 83% of the total installed electrical capacity of CHP plants. The second highest installed electrical capacity was in Zemgale region – 53.9MW, which is 10% more than in 2013. The lowest installed electrical capacity in 2014 was in Vidzeme region – 27.8 MW, and compared to 2013 it rose by 9%. The largest increase of installed electrical capacity of CHP plants was observed in Pierīga region, where during a year growth comprised 18%.
The largest share of renewable energy sources (RES) CPH plants was in Vidzeme and Zemgale region. For example, in 2014 installed electrical capacity of RES CHP plants in Vidzeme was 21.7 MW (or 78%) of the total installed electrical capacity.
 |
| CHP plant power capacity and consumed fuel in 2014 by statistical region in Latvia |
To produce electricity and heat CHP plants in Latvia use natural gas as main fuel. In 2014, 78% of electricity and 91% of heat was produced in CHP plants using natural gas. Their installed electrical capacity was 1139.9 MW.
Installed electrical capacity of CHP plants by fuel used in 2010–2014
|
|
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
Natural gas |
98.1 |
96.9 |
93.8 |
91.2 |
90.1 |
|
Wood fuels |
0.5 |
0.4 |
1.7 |
4.3 |
5.0 |
|
Biogas |
1.1 |
2.4 |
4.2 |
4.2 |
4.6 |
|
Other |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
Despite the significant share of natural gas in production of electricity and heat in CHP plants, share of renewable energy sources (RES) is growing every year, thus reducing the share of natural gas. Since 2007 installed electrical capacity of RES CPH plants has increased 13 times and in 2014 reached 122.4 MW, but the amount of electricity produced increased 16 times, reaching 669 GWh, which is 22% of the total electricity produced in CHP plants.
 |
| Indicators characterizing activity of RES CHP plants in 2014 |
Essential increase of installed electrical capacity and electricity produced in RES CHP plants is due to the support provided by the state. Aim of this support is to provide share of 40% of energy produced from RES in gross final consumption2 and to reduce Latvia's energy dependency from imported energy resources.
Information on activity of CHP plants will be published on 18 June in the CSB database in section "Environment and energy".
1Combined heat and power plants – package of technological
equipment, buildings and infrastructure designated for simultaneous production
of heat energy and electricity
2Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council
on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources
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