How can Latvia reduce its reliance on foreign sources of energy?

The Latvian government is interested in diversifying supplies and in developing more local resources to reduce the country’s reliance on foreign sources of energy. To reach these targets, government agencies and entrepreneurs have discussed options to move beyond hydropower into wind and biomass power plants.

How much electricity does Latvia generate?

As previously mentioned, hydropower in Latvia accounts for almost 64% of the electricity generated, and according to data for 2023, Latvia has a total installed hydroelectric capacity of 1.57 GW (Fig. 6). The leading generator is Pļaviņas Hydro Power Plant, built in 1965, with an installed capacity of 908 MW .

What is the EU's energy policy for Latvia?

The current EU policy dictates that Latvia must increase the share of renewable energy in its final energy consumption and Latvia has plans to reach 50 percent by 2030 according to the EU’s National Energy and Climate Action Plan 2030. Much of Latvia’s heat and electricity still comes from imported natural gas.

How many wind farms are there in Latvia?

There are 19 operational wind farms in Latvia with capacity above 0.25 MW and 18 wind farms with capacity below 0.25 MW. There are currently a total of 23 operational biogas power stations and seven biomass power stations in Latvia. Most of them are cogeneration stations.

Which energy products are most dynamically developing in Latvia?

The production of various kinds of energy products from biomass is the most dynamically developing in Latvia. According to data for 2023, about 0.66 TWh was generated from biomass (Fig. 7), i.e. more than 4 times that coming from wind energy. The country operates biomass processing, refining, biogas, biodiesel, bioethanol and pellet production.

How many power stations are there in Latvia?

This article lists all power stations in Latvia. Additional to the three major hydroelectric plants, there are approximately 150-160 operational hydroelectric plants with capacity below 5 MW each. There are 19 operational wind farms in Latvia with capacity above 0.25 MW and 18 wind farms with capacity below 0.25 MW.