Investments of the Baltic countries (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) enter the period of intensive activities related to the construction of offshore wind farms. At the turn of 2019 and 2020, all three countries are developing specific plans for implementing farm construction in the Baltic Sea.
Last year, Lithuania adopted a strategy according to which by 2030 renewable energy sources are to be responsible for 45% domestic production mix, and in 2050 they are to fill it completely (initially it was assumed that by 2050 the country will achieve 80% of energy from renewable sources, so this indicates great hopes associated with the development of the sector in recent years). To achieve the ambitious renewable energy target it is assumed that by 2030 about 7 TWh of green energy will be needed per year, while by 2050 this amount would rise up to about 18 TWh. About 50-55% is to come from the wind - its share in the national production of green electricity is to be not less than 55% in 2030 and at least 65% in 2050. Lithuanians are expected to double their wind generation around 2025, ang rightfully so, as experts estimate the country's wind potential at 7000 MW. Currently, Lithuanians have already installed about 750 MW and do not have a single offshore wind farm, but the Lithuanian Ministry of Energy have recently presented investment plans for the first offshore wind farms that may be built off the Lithuanian coast. Vilnius assumes that it is realistic to build turbines with a total capacity of 700 MW, which will meet 1/4 of Lithuanian energy demand. Offshore wind farms are thus expected to generate about 2.5-3 TWh of electricity per year. The first auction for offshore wind energy in Lithuania is to take place in 2023, and the launch of energy production from wind farms in the Lithuanian part of the Baltic Sea should take place by 2030. The Lithuanian state energy concern Ignitis has express its interest in the project and wishes to establish cooperation with a foreign partner to bring relevant know-how.
In 2014 Estonia had impressive plans to erect two offshore wind farms by 2015 with a total capacity of 1500 MW. To date, the offshore installations have not been completed, but instead Estonia has invested USD 545 million in onshore wind farms with a total capacity of 250 MW. This makes this small Baltic country the undisputed leader in the development of renewable energy sources in the region. The wind force on the Estonian coast is 9.01-9.25 m/s and is above the average for this region, which is why investments in offshore farms are so interesting from Estonian energy sector’s point of view. Also, the general rapid development of wind energy in Estonia should be largely attributed to Finland, Estonia's northern neighbour, which strongly influenced Estonian politicians - said Aleksandras Paulauskas, head of the Wind Power Developer Association in Lithuania.
At the end of 2019, the Estonian government issued a decision to initiate the procedure related to the permit to build the first offshore wind farm in the Gulf of Riga. Marking an important step for Estonia towards the construction of a new offshore farm, Eesti Energia is now looking for investment partners. Pärnu Marine Spatial Plan assumes that the area covered by the building permit is suitable for wind energy development, as confirmed by measurements of wind, ice cover and bird migration carried out by the company.
Due to the large size of the project and Estonia having no experience in building offshore wind farms, the project will be implemented in cooperation with several companies. According to Aavo Kärmasa, president of Enefit Green, the Latvian wind farm development zone is only 10 km from the Gulf of Riga. Given the potentially cross-border nature of the project, the importance of cooperation between the Estonian Ministry of Economy and Communication and its Latvian counterpart is emphasized. An offshore wind farm in this area could be the first joint Estonian-Latvian renewable energy production project. Indeed, at the end of 2019, Estonia's Minister of Economy and Infrastructure Taavi Aas met with his Latvian counterpart Ralph Nemiro to discuss the possibility of implementing a joint offshore wind farm project in the Gulf of Riga. The installation would contribute to strengthening the security of energy supply in both countries and bring significant economic benefits.
The president of Enefit Green hopes to continue very good cooperation in this area. Enefit belongs to the Estonian state energy group Eesti Energia - the largest energy producer in the Baltic States. It operates in Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland and Sweden. Enefit is active in the field of energy purchase as well as energy solutions and services. Eesti Energia, to which Enefit belongs, is an Estonian state energy concern with its own mining, conventional and renewable energy production, distribution and international energy trading. The Group's share in the Estonian electricity market is 60%, and in the Baltic countries market a total of 25%.
The project is to be implemented in full cooperation with the local community, including the authorities and residents of the municipalities of Kihnu and Häädemeeste. The construction is to be completed before 2030. According to the plans, the offshore wind farm is to have up to 160 wind turbines with a total capacity of 1000 MW. The energy produced by this size farm would cover almost half of Estonia's electricity demand. It would also be an important step towards achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
Sources:
https://www.gramwzielone.pl/energia-wiatrowa/103033/litwa-przedstawila-plan-budowy-morskich-farm-wiatrowych
https://www.gramwzielone.pl/energia-wiatrowa/9574/estonia-zbuduje-morskie-farmy-wiatrowe
https://globenergia.pl/wazny-krok-estonii-w-kierunku-budowy-pierwszej-morskiej-farmy-wiatrowej-w-zatoce-ryskiej/
https://www.cire.pl/item,190526,1,0,0,0,0,0,estonia-i-lotwa-zamierzaja-wspolnie-zbudowac-morskie-farmy-wiatrowe.html