Electricity sector in Estonia

Electricity sector in Estonia is connected to Finland, Russia and the other Baltic countries. As of 2016, it was one of the dirtiest in the EU in terms of CO2 emissions, as oil-based fuels accounted for about 80% of domestic production. However, renewables had grown to over 13% of production whereas they were less than 1% in 2000. Thus, Estonia is one of the countries to have reached its EU renewable target by 2016.[1][2]

Statistics

Electricity in 2020: [3]

  • Usage - 9.17 billion kWh
  • Production - 5.9 billion kWh
  • Import - 7.37 billion kWh
  • Export - 3.72 billion kWh

Estonia's all-time peak consumption is 1591 MW (in 2021).[4]

In 2021 the Electricity generated from renewable energy sources was 29.3 %, being 38% of the share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption. [5]

Production

Fossil fuels

Oil-based fuels, including oil shale and fuel oils, accounted for about 80% of domestic production in 2016. There is also some natural gas capacity, but no coal generation.[1] The largest power complex in the country, Narva Power Plants, consists of the world's two largest oil shale-fired thermal power plants.[6]

The complex used to generate about 95% of total power production in Estonia in 2007.[7] Falling to 86% in 2016 and 73% in 2018.

Oil shale extracted by the state-owned Eesti Energia fell from 16.6 million tons in 2016 to 7.9 million tons in 2021.[8]

Renewables

In October 2022 Estonia set a target date of 2030 to generate 100% electricity from renewables.[9]

Wind power
Main article: Wind power in Estonia

Total installed wind power was 149 MW at end of 2010 and grew to 303 MW in 2014 and 329 MW in 2016. Record production of wind parks is 279 MW in 2014.[4]

Estonia has target of 14% (1.5 TWh) and total renewable electricity 1.9 TWh (17.6%). According to the national Energy Action Plan (2020) planned shares are onshore 9% and offshore 5%.[10] The state energy company Eesti Energia was interested in offshore wind energy in 2008.[11]

Other renewables

The rest of Estonia's generation is from other renewable fuels. Wood-based fuels were the second largest source of power in 2016. The rest comes from waste and other biofuels, as well as a small amount of hydropower.[1]

Transmission and trade

Estonia's grid is an important hub as it is connected to Finland in the north, Russia in the east, Latvia and Lithuania in the south. Electricity is traded on the Nordic power market Nord Pool. In 2014–2016, yearly net imports from Finland were equal to 31-67% of consumption. Meanwhile, yearly new exports to Latvia were equal to 57-84% of consumption. Some years there are also exports to Russia.[12]

Between Estonia and Finland there are the submarine Estlink cables.

It was agreed in 2018 that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will connect to the European Union's electricity system and desynchronize from the Russian BRELL power system, this is expected to be completed by February 2025.[13]

See also

References
  1. "Capacity and production of power plants". Statistics Estonia. Retrieved 2018-11-04.
  2. "Share of renewables in energy consumption in the EU reached 17% in 2016". Eurostat. 2018-01-25. Retrieved 2018-11-04.
  3. "Energy consumption in Estonia". 2020.
  4. "Electricity consumption and production". Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  5. "Energy". Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  6. Liive, Sandor (2007). "Oil Shale Energetics in Estonia" (PDF). Oil Shale. A Scientific-Technical Journal. Estonian Academy Publishers. 24 (1): 1–4. doi:10.3176/oil.2007.1.01. ISSN 0208-189X. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  7. "Estonia Energy in Figures 2007" (PDF). Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications. 2008. p. 29. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
  8. "Energy emergency revives Estonia's polluting oil shale industry". 28 August 2022.
  9. "100 per cent renewable electricity is a realistic and necessary target for Estonia and Europe". 19 October 2022.
  10. EU Energy Policy to 2050, EWEA March 2011 pages 43, 45, 55
  11. Eesti Energia suunnittelee suurinvestointeja tuulivoimaan yle 8.5.2008
  12. "Electricity balance sheet". Statistics Estonia. Retrieved 2018-11-04.
  13. "Baltic countries strike deal to disconnect from Russian power grid earlier than expected". 3 August 2023.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.