Electricity generated from solar and wind power up by 92 % over the year

Central Statistical Bureau data show that 6 388 GWh of electricity were generated in 2023 (27.0 % more than in 2022), of which 4 963 GWh from renewable energy resources (renewables). The amount of electricity produced from renewables has gone up by 30.0 % (1 146 GWh) compared to 2022. Moreover, wind power and solar power plants generated 92.5 % electricity more.

Driven by the active installation of solar panels and development of solar parks, the amount of electricity generated by solar power plants increased significantly, reaching 239 GWh in 2023. This is more than three times, or 164 GWh, the amount generated in 2022. Wind power plants generated 271 GWh of electricity (42.6 % or 81 GWh more than in 2022). However, due to high water inflow and a prolonged flood season, hydropower plants generated 3 794 GWh of electricity (38.0 % or 1 044 GWh more).

Combined heat and power (CHP) plants generated 2 083 GWh of electricity (8.2 percentage points more than in 2022), of which 31.6 % from renewables (in biogas and biomass CHP plants). Compared to the year before, the amount of electricity generated by biogas CHP plants fell from 250 GWh to 182 GWh (decline of 27.2 %) and of that generated by biomass power plants and CHP plants from 552 GWh to 477 GWh (decline of 13.6 %).

In 2023, gross consumption of renewables in Latvia totalled 82.6 petajoules (PJ), which is 3.3 % or 2.6 PJ more than in 2022. Over the five years from 2019 to 2023 it has grown by 9.8 % (7.4 PJ).

Gross consumption of fuelwood increased by 1.8 % (1.1 PJ) over the five years and reached 63.0 PJ in 2023. However, over the year fuelwood consumption reduced by 1.6 % (1.0 PJ).  

In 2023, fuelwood took up 76.2 % of the gross consumption of renewables (80.0 % in 2022), electricity 18.8 %, biofuel 0.7 % (down by 0.3 percentage points compared to 2022), while biogas and other energy 2.2 % and 2.1 %, respectively.

Export of fuelwood gone down by 8.2 % over the year

Last year, 23.1 PJ of pelleted wood were exported, which is 21.0 % (6.1 PJ) fewer than in 2022. Export of wood waste and wood briquettes fell as well: wood waste made up 1.1 PJ (down by 0.3 PJ) and wood briquettes 0.4 PJ (down by 5.0 %). Export of firewood totalled 6.0 PJ (1.1 PJ or 22.8 % more than in 2022) and export of pelleted wood, which went up as well, reached 11.4 PJ (1.6 PJ or 16.3 % more than in 2022).

Largest fuelwood consumer – transformation sector

Transformation sector¹ is the largest consumer of fuelwood – in 2023 it took up 36.3 % of the gross fuelwood consumption (22.9 PJ). Over the past five years from 2019 to 2023 fuelwood consumption in the sector has increased by 4.6 % or 1 PJ. However, the volume of heat produced by solar collectors in the sector made up 9 GWh or 31 TJ, which is 2 GWh or 8 TJ fewer than in 2022.

Consumption of fuelwood in households constituted 29.0 % of the gross fuelwood consumption, which is 1.5 % or 0.3 PJ fewer than in 2022. In industry and construction, the highest fuelwood consumption was observed in manufacture of wood and of products of wood – 18.3 PJ or 95.5 % of the gross fuelwood consumption in the sector in 2023.

Electricity consumption in road transport growing steadily

Growing number of electric vehicles facilitated electricity consumption in transport sector, which reached 386 TJ in 2023 (5.8 % (21 TJ) more than in 2022). The annual increase registered a year ago was similar – 20 TJ. Compared to 2022, electricity consumption in road transport grew by 25.0 % (31 TJ) while in rail transport reduced by 3.0 % (7 TJ). Electricity consumption in pipeline transport keeps declining and in 2023 it fell to 5 TJ, which is 37.5 % (3 TJ) fewer than in 2022 and 4.6 times (18 TJ) fewer than in 2019. Legislation changes cancelling the biofuel blending mandate from 1 July 2022 to 31 December 2023 resulted in lower biofuel consumption in transport  – a drop of 0.2 PJ (25.0 %).

Latvia has the third highest share of renewables in final energy consumption in the EU

As the gross consumption of renewables is increasing, Latvia is getting closer to the strategic goal of renewable energy sector² – reaching 50.0 % of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption until 2030. In terms of highest share of renewables in the final energy consumption Latvia ranks third in the EU (in 2022 Latvia had 43.3 % and EU average was 23.0 %). The country shall also ensure that until 2030 transport sector consumes 7.0 % of renewable energy (in 2022 Latvian figure was 3.1 %³ and EU average 9.6 %). The share of renewable energy in heating, however, constituted 61.0 % in 2022, which is the third highest figure in the EU after Sweden with 69.4 % and Estonia with 65.4 %. Renewable energy made up 24.9 % of the total energy used for heating and cooling in the EU⁴.

Methodological information

¹ The data on transformation sector cover energy resources consumed for production and sale of electricity and heat, as well as production of peat briquettes and charcoal.
² Updated Latvia's National Energy and Climate Plan 2021–2030.
³ Calculations are made in the Eurostat tool SHARES.
⁴ Average figures in 27 EU countries.

Media requests:
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E-mail: media@csp.gov.lv
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More information on data:
Regīna Dzirne
Environment and Energy Statistics Section
E-mail: Regina.Dzirne@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366634