Photovoltaic energy in
Latvia
General
Large
scale hydro-energy is the dominant RES-E energy technology (94% of all
RES-E in 2004). Technologies increasing in importance are small-scale
hydropower and onshore wind power. Biomass (wood) is used in
centralized, local and individual heating systems, and its share in
energy supply (heating and electricity production) was 45 % in 2004.
The
Latvian energy policy has been laid down in the strategy paper
‘Guidelines for Development of Energy Sector for 2007-2016’. Main
topic are to ensure security of supply, improve infrastructure,
implement energy efficiency measures and to increase effective use of
renewable sources of energy and energy production in cogeneration (CHP)
processes.
From the EU Structural Funds approximately EUR 140
million is to be allocated to the energy sector (2007 - 2013), mainly
to be used for increasing efficiency of district heating systems, for
development of cogeneration plants that use biomass and for the
development of wind farms.
According to the Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament
and of the Council on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable
sources the target for the share of energy from renewable sources in
gross final consumption of energy in the year 2020 for Latvia is 40%
(in the year 2005 the share was 32.6%). The Directive has a mandatory
10 % target for transport to be achieved by all Member States, which
refers to renewable sources as a whole, not biofuels alone.
Renewable energy projections according to the National Renewable Energy Action Plan for Latvia
The
National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP) for Latvia was submitted
in October 2010. The target according to Annex I of Directive
2009/28/EC is 40% for the year 2020 and the projected NREAP share in
that year exactly matches the target. According to the
projection, the most important contribution in the year 2020 is
expected from biomass (renewable heating and cooling) (1392 ktoe, 73%
of all renewable energy). Second important contribution is expected
from hydropower (3.1 TWh or 262 ktoe, 14% of all renewable energy). The
third largest contribution is from biomass (renewable electricity) (1.2
TWh or 105 ktoe, 5% of all renewable energy). Wind power contributes
with 0.4 GW (0.9 TWh) in the year 2020 (onshore wind 0.2 GW and 0.5
TWh, offshore wind 0.2 GW and 0.4 TWh). For solar photovoltaic the 2020
contribution is projected to be 0.0 GW (0.0 TWh). For solar thermal the
2020 contribution is projected to be 2 ktoe. The two most important
biofuels are projected to contribute 28 ktoe (biodiesel) and 18 ktoe
(bioethanol / bio-ETBE) by 2020. The renewable electricity production
from solid biomass amounts to 0.6 TWh (55 ktoe) and for biogas it is
expected to be 0.6 TWh (50 ktoe). The consumption of renewable heat is
expected to amount to 1343 ktoe for solid biomass and 49 ktoe for
biogas.
Renewable Electricity:
photovoltaic energy (PV)
The
purchase price of photovoltaic power is 0.427 €/kWh. Payments stretch
a period of 20 years. The expenses of such procurement shall be
covered by all electricity end users in Latvia in proportion to their
electricity consumption by purchasing from the public trader a definite
part of RES electricity, or by compensating the expenses of the public
trader.
Licenses for electricity production from RES (with 614
MWh quota for PV plants in 2010) were issued in December 2009 for two
private companies. There is a quota system for electricity produced
from RES in Latvia. The new ‘Law on Renewable Energy Resources’ is
currently under ratification. In the frame of the program ‘Climate
change financial instruments’ special budgetary arrangement is
scheduled for financing of the Projects ‘RES Use in Households’. The
total amount of financing is 16.22 M€ (projects are to be submitted
until 24 March 2011). Financial support for each project is no more
than € 9,960 (the subsidy does not exceed 50% of the total eligible
costs). This tender strikes a big interest for PV installations in
households.
Future programme changes
expected
No information on future policy.
Sources
Renewable energy factsheet Latvia,
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/energy_policy/facts_en.htm (sourced January 2008)
PV-NMS-NET (2011): Status of photovoltaics in the European Union -
New member states 2010. PV-NMS-NET (IEE framework project), Warsaw,
Poland, 2011.
Ministry of Economy, http://www.em.gov.lv (sourced September 2008)
Interactive EurObserv’ER Database, http://www.eurobserv-er.org,
(version 2007)
The National Renewable Energy Action
Plans (NREAPs) are all published on the Transparency Platform on
Renewable Energy: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/transparency_platform/action_plan_en.htm
(sourced July - December 2010)
Renewable Energy Projections as Published in the National Renewable
Energy Action Plans of the European Member States, http://www.ecn.nl/nreap
(sourced December 2010)
Interactive EurObserv’ER Database
http://www.eurobserv-er.org
Last update: March 2011
This information canbe referenced without permission provided that the
source is mentioned completely and correctly: 'Interactive EurObserv'ER
Database, http://www.eurobserv-er.org (date of last update)'
Suggestions for improvements to the policy description can be sent to
EurObserv'ER by e-mail: project@eurobserv-er.org
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Commission within the DG ENER 'Intelligent Energy Europe' programme and
by Ademe, the French Environment and Energy management Agency. The
EurObserv'ER Barometer is the result of the investigation and research
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