European Energy is beginning construction of what will be one of Latvia’s biggest solar farms, a 148MW project near Targale.
The solar farm (picture is of one of European Energy’s operational assets), in Ventspils county, will be connected to the grid by the end of 2025.
Latvia has ambitious climate goals and a long history of using hydropower.
However, the potential of solar energy remains largely untapped, said Alnis Baliņs, Head of the Riga office of European Energy Latvia.
“Electricity production from renewable sources in Latvia has seen significant growth in recent years, but the momentum gained so far is not enough, and there is still too little solar and wind energy in the region.
“We hope to change this with the new solar farm.
“The park will consist of 240,000 solar panels, with a total capacity of 148MW, contributing to the country’s energy independence and increasing the share of renewables in the overall energy mix,” said Baliņs.
To date, Latvia has lagged behind its neighbours in the construction of solar energy parks.
In 2023, Estonia’s solar power capacity reached 822MW and Lithuania’s 1165MW, while Latvia’s stood at 500MW.
European Energy executive vice president and head of project development Thorvald Spanggaard said: “According to the Latvian National Energy and Climate Plan, the share of renewable energy in electricity generation is expected to increase significantly, from 53% to 80% by 2030.
“To achieve this target, both wind and solar energy production must be expanded.
“A key driver for this development will be consumers of electricity – both state and private – being willing to enter into long term agreements to buy green energy.
“This aligns perfectly with European Energy’s vision and development strategy.”