The latest data compiled by the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) show that in 2020 output of electricity in CHP plants comprised 2940.1 gigawatt hours (GWh), which comprised 51 % of total amount of electricity produced in the country.

In 2020, compared to 2019, amount of electricity produced in CHP plants fell by 30 %, which was mainly affected by such factors as growth of output of electricity in hydro power plants due to a higher water inflow and corresponding drop of prices of electricity, as well as reduced demand for heat due to warmer weather conditions, which determined a lower output of electricity in CHP plants.

In 2020, 5038.5 GWh of heat was produced in CHP plants or 6 % less than in 2019. In 2020 share of heat produced in CHP plants comprised 67 % of total amount of heat produced in the country.

Indicators characterizing activities of CHP plants in 2020

Installed electrical capacity of CHP plants	Number of CHP plants	Installed electrical capacity, MW	Electricity produced, GWh	Heat produced, GWh
Installed electrical capacity of CHP plants	Number of CHP plants	Installed electrical capacity, MW	Electricity produced, GWh	Heat produced, GWh
Total	162	1 274.2	2 940.1	5 038.5
≤ 0.2 MW	16	2.2	8.8	25.7
0.2 < P* ≤ 0.5 MW	25	8.8	49.0	275.0
0.5 < P ≤ 1 MW	63	52.6	288.3	473.2
1 < P ≤ 5 MW	51	121.1	696.8	1 993.0
5 < P ≤ 20 MW	3	27.7	102.5	162.2
≤ 20 MW	4	1 061.8	1 794.7	2 109.4

^*P – electrical capacity

Over the ten year period from 2011 to 2020 the number of CHP plants has doubled, but since 2018 it is decreasing. In 2019 and 2020, respectively, 29 and 42 CHP plants less were active than in 2017, when the largest number of CHP plants over the last ten years was active – 204 CHP plants. Several CHP plants stopped their activity as state support in the form of mandatory procurement of electricity ended.

In 2020 total electrical capacity of CHP plants reached 1 274.2 MW, which is 4.5 MW more than in 2019, but 24.9 MW less than in 2017. Electrical capacity of CHP plants has grown by 32 % or 1.3 times over the past ten years.

Over the past ten years electrical capacity of public³ CHP plants on average comprised 97 %, but electrical capacity of autoproducer⁴ CHP plants comprised 3 % of the total electrical capacity of CHP plants. In 2020 four public CHP plants with capacity that is larger than 20 MW comprised 83 % of the total electrical power in CHP plants, but 36 % of the total electrical power in the country: three of them were active in Riga, one – in Zemgale region.

Share of electrical capacity over the past 10 years in CHP plants fuelled by fossil fuels has reduced and share of electrical capacity in CHP plants fuelled by renewable energy sources (RES) has increased. The largest share of electrical capacity of RES-fuelled CHP plants was observed in 2012 and 2013 (by 80.2 MW) and from 2013 until 2020 share of electrical capacity of RES-fuelled CHP plants comprised 9 % – 12 % of the total electrical capacity in CHP plants, however, compared to the previous year, in 2020 electrical capacity of RES-fuelled CHP plants was 1.3 MW less reaching 156.3 MW.

The largest share of electrical capacity of RES-fuelled CHP plants in 2020 was in Vidzeme (98 %) and Zemgale (96 %), where total electrical capacity was 29.0 MW and 59.1 MW, respectively. Share of electrical capacity of RES-fuelled CHP plants in Kurzeme and Pierīga was 77 % and 61 % of total electrical capacity of CHP plants, respectively, – 24.7 MW in Kurzeme and 51.0 MW in Pierīga. The largest share of electrical capacity of CHP plants using fossil fuels was in Riga and Latgale – respectively, 99 % and 72 % of the total electrical capacity of CHP plants in the region (in Riga – 1 069.8 MW, in Latgale – 40.6 MW).

In 2020, amount of electricity produced from RES in CHP plants comprised 864.8 GWh, which is 7 % less than in the previous year, but over the past ten years output of electricity in CHP plants from RES has risen 7 times. Rise of electricity produced from RES in CHP plants is promoted by state support programmes.

Electricity produced in CHP plants by region; 2020

In 2020 electricity produced from RES in CHP plants comprised 24 % of the total generation of public electricity produced from RES (14 % biomass CHP plants, 10 % – biogas CHP plants).

For production of energy in CHP plants natural gas and fuelwood is mainly consumed. In 2020, 21.0 petajoules (PJ) of natural gas and 12.4 PJ of fuelwood were consumed, which in total is 20 % less than in 2019. Over the period of ten years share of consumption of natural gas at CHP plants has fallen from 93 % to 58 %, but share of consumption of RES has increased significantly reaching 42 % in 2020.

Latvia aims⁵ at reaching 50 % of RES in the gross final energy consumption and reducing Latvian energy dependency upon energy imports in 2030. The share of RES in Latvian final energy consumption accounted for 41 % in 2019.

Methodological explanations

¹Cogeneration (combined heat and power production) – simultaneous generation of electricity and heat in the same technological device and cycle using natural gas, biogas, solid fuels, liquid fuels and fuelwood.

²A CHP plant consists of CHP units and heat peak load boiler units.

³Public CHP plants whose main activity is production of electricity and heat (NACE Rev. 2, section 35 “Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply”).

⁴Autoproducer CHP plants producing electricity and heat for own production and technological needs and sell part of heat produced (all NACE Rev. 2 sections, except of section 35).

⁵Order of the Cabinet No 46 “On the National Energy and Climate Plan 2021–2030”

Media requests:
Communication Section
E-mail: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 27880666

More information on data:
Lāsma Černovska
Environment and Energy Statistics Section
E-mail: Lasma.Cernovska@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366768

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