Energy consumption reduced by 2.8 % in 2022

Provisional data of the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) show that in 2022 gross energy consumption¹ in Latvia reached 187.5 petajoules (PJ), which is 2.8 % fewer than in 2021.

Almost five times more electricity generated by solar power plants

Compared to 2021, primary electricity production (i.e., generation of electricity in hydropower, wind power and solar power plants (and by solar panels (cells)) went up by 4.4 % (125 GWh). The amount of electricity produced in solar power plants went up 4.9 times (by 34 GWh), in wind power plants by 34.8 % (49 GWh) while of that generated by hydroelectric power plants by just 1.6 % (42 GWh). Hydropower, wind power and solar power plants together produced 2 981 GWh of electricity (2 750 GWh, 190 GWh, and 41 GWh, respectively).

Renewable energy took 43.3 % of gross energy consumption

Fuelwood (firewood, wood waste, wood chips, wood briquettes, pelleted wood) and hydro resources in Latvia are used the most commonly. Over the recent years, along with the declining use of natural gas, the proportion of renewables in gross energy consumption has been growing, namely, by 2.1 percentage points in 2022 thus reaching 43.3 %.

Gross consumption of natural gas down by 28.2 %

Compared to 2021, gross consumption of natural gas reduced by 28.2 % in 2022. The share of natural gas in gross energy consumption took 15.5 %, which is a drop of 5.5 percentage points over the year. Over the past ten years gross consumption of natural gas has gone down by 42.2 % (21.2 PJ) and its share by 11.4 percentage points.

Last year the share of oil and petroleum products formed 35.3 % of the gross energy consumption and that of other energy resources 5.9 %. At the same time, the proportion of fuelwood has grown by 6.5 percentage points over the past decade, constituting 34.9 % last year. In 2022, compared to the year before, the volume of wood chips produced went up by 10 % (10.0 PJ) while imports and exports of wood products fell (by 45 % and 20 %, respectively). The drop in imports may be explained by the fact that, due to the sanctions, products from Belarus and Russia are no longer imported while the decline in exports by higher demand on the domestic market.

As the gross consumption of renewables is increasing, Latvia is getting closer to the strategic objective regarding use of renewable energy resources aiming at reaching 44.3 % of the energy produced from renewables in the gross final energy consumption until 2025². Latvia has the third highest share of renewables in the final energy consumption in the EU; in 2021 the indicator constituted 42.1 % (EU average 21.8 %). Latvia shall ensure that until 2030 the share of renewables consumed in transport sector reaches 14 %. In 2021 Latvian indicator accounted for 6.4 % and the EU average for 9.1 %.

Wood chip consumption for heat and electricity production in transformation sector higher than natural gas consumption

In 2022, 43.1 PJ of energy resources were consumed and 35 PJ of energy were produced in transformation sector³ (of which 27.8 PJ of heat and 7.2 PJ of electricity), which is 16.5 % fewer than in 2021. Heat and electricity in Latvia are mainly generated from a fossil fuel, i.e., natural gas, the share whereof in the transformation sector has been reducing gradually: from 69.8 % in 2013 to 47.7 % in 2021 and 36.6 % in 2022 (which was lower than the share of wood chips (52.8 %) for the first time). The share of renewables consumed in transformation sector has risen by 19.5 percentage points over the past five years, reaching 61.1 % in 2022. It may be a positive trend, as renewables used in transformation sector, i.e., fuelwood, biogas, and other biomass, are local resources. Compared to 2021, sharp increase in the transformation sector energy consumption was recorded in the consumption of diesel oil (of 783 TJ) and liquefied petroleum gas (39 TJ), which had significant upward impact on the total consumption of oil and petroleum products in the sector (rise of 7.8 times). Decline, in turn, was registered in the consumption of other biogas (of 401 TJ) and firewood (181 TJ).

* Coal, peat, peat briquettes, coke.
** Charcoal, straw, other biomass, biogas, biofuel, waste tyres, municipal waste for burning.

Transport – largest energy consumer among sectors

In 2022 final energy consumption constituted 171.4 PJ, which is 1.9 % fewer than in 2021. The indicator has not changed significantly over the past decade. Last year, transport sector, which consumed 49.9 PJ of energy (29.1 % of final consumption), was the largest energy consumer, followed by households with 48.1 PJ or 28.0 % and industry with 41.1 PJ or 24.0 %. Over the year, final consumption of energy resources declined in majority of economic activities while rise was registered in specialised construction activities as well as fishing and aquaculture (of 41.0 % and 22.7 %, respectively).

Consumption of diesel oil did not change and of motor gasoline reduced by 14.5 %

During the year fuel consumption in transport sector increased by only 0.6 % while over the past five years it decreased by 4.0 % or 2.1 PJ. In 2022 fuel consumption in transport sector reached 49.9 PJ (49.6 PJ in 2021). Diesel oil is the main energy resource used in transport; consumption thereof did not change over the year and over the past five years it has risen by 1.3 % (436 TJ). Consumption of motor gasoline has reduced by 25.9 % constituting 6 PJ in 2022, which is 14.5 % fewer than in 2021. Significantly lower spread of COVID-19 and subsequent removal of travel restrictions resulted in a sharp increase in the consumption of kerosene-type jet fuel (up by 83.8 % or 2.8 PJ compared to 2021).

In 2022, 365 TJ of electricity were consumed in transport, which is 4.0 % more than in 2021 (351 TJ) and 7.7 % more than in 2020 (339 TJ). Electricity consumption in pipeline transport has reduced by 3 TJ or 27.3 % since 2021 and by 46.7 % or 7 TJ since 2020. Electricity consumption in road transport, in turn, increased (by 133 TJ or 27.9 % compared to 2021 and 35.7 % or 98 TJ compared to 2020) while in rail transport decreased (by 12 TJ or 5.1 % compared to 2021 and 2 TJ or 0.9 % compared to 2020).

Highest energy consumption among economic activities in manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork

Over the past decade consumption of energy in industry has gone up by 5.3 PJ or 14.8 % and over the year gone down by 0.1 PJ or 0.3 %, reaching 41.1 PJ in 2022. Last year, the highest consumption of energy resources was recorded in manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork – 23.6 PJ or 57.5 % of the energy consumption in industry. During the past five years consumption of oil and petroleum products in industry has increased by 10.4 %. Final energy consumption in construction amounted to 4.1 PJ in 2022, which is 6.6 % fewer than in 2021 (4.1 PJ). 

* Coal, peat, peat briquettes, coke.
** Charcoal, straw, other biomass, biogas, biofuel, waste tyres, municipal waste for burning.

Methodological explanations

¹ Gross energy consumption includes consumption of energy resources in heat and electricity production sector (transformation sector) and final consumption which includes all sectors of national economy as well as households.

² National Energy and Climate Plan 2021–2030.

³ Transformation sector includes the volume of energy resources consumed for production and sale of electricity and heat.

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

More information on data:
Andra Lazdiņa
Environment and Energy Statistics Section
E-mail: Andra.Lazdina@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366747