Energy in Estonia

Energy in Estonia has heavily depended on fossil fuels. Finland and Estonia are two of the last countries in the world still burning peat.[1][2]

Estonia has set a target of 100% of electricity production from renewable sources by 2030.[3]

Statistics
2020 energy statistics[4]
Production capacities for electricity
(billion kWh)
TypeAmount
Fossil fuel3.29
Biomass1.61
Wind power0.84
Solar0.12
Hydro0.04
Total4.90
      
Electricity
(billion kWh)
CategoryAmount
Consumption9.17
Production5.90
Import7.37
Export3.72
      
Crude Oil
(barrels per day)
Consumption27,500
Production21,800
      
Natural Gas
(billion m3)
Consumption0.417
Import0.417

CO2 emissions:
7.12 million tons

Energy plan

The National Energy and Climate Plan published in 2019 aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2030 and by 80% by 2050. Renewable energy must be at least 42%, with a target of 16 TWh in 2030[5]

The plan was changed in October 2022, when Estonia set a target date of 2030 to generate 100% electricity from renewables.[6]

Energy types

Renewable energy
Further information: Wind power in Estonia
Years in which the last three renewable power levels achieved
AchievementYearAchievementYearAchievementYear
30%201935%202040%2020[4]

Renewable energy includes wind, solar, biomass and geothermal energy sources.

Wind power

Wind power had a capacity of 320MW in 2020 however investment continues with a €200m 255MW Sopi-Tootsi wind project planned to be operational by 2024.[7]

Solar power

Solar power has received investment since 2014. In 2022, Estonian solar power plants produced 2,569 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of renewable energy. 26 million euros were paid in subsidies for electricity produced via solar power in 2022.[8]

Biomass power

Biomass provides around 25% of the electrical energy capacity.

Oil-shale
Main article: Oil shale in Estonia

Oil-shale powered generators in 2019 accounted for 70% of electricity generation in Estonia.[9]

The original target to reduce production from oil-shale was 2035 with production ceasing by 2040, has been changed to ceasing oil-shale production by 2030.[10]

Between 2018 and 2022 oil-shale extraction and use reduced by 50%.[11]

Natural Gas

Estonia has the Balticconnector pipeline, which links Estonia with Finland.

In April 2022 Estonia reduced gas imports from Russia and on 29 September 2022 Estonia banned buying Natural gas from Russia. Work began on LNG facilities at Paldiski which was completed in October 2022 and increased transmission capacities in existing interconnection points.[12][13]

In December 2022 a floating LNG terminal became operational in Finland which connects to Estonia.[14]

Electricity
Main article: Electricity sector in Estonia

Electricity production in Estonia is largely dependent on fossil fuels. In 2007, more than 90% of power was generated from oil shale.[15] The Estonian energy company Eesti Energia owns the largest oil shale-fuelled power plants in the world, Narva Power Plants.[16]

There are two submarine power cables from Finland, with combined rated power of 1000 MW.

Estonia's all-time peak consumption is 1591 MW (in 2021).[17]

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.[18]

A back up plan, should Russia disconnect the Baltic states before 2025, would enable a connection to the European grid to be completed within 24 hours.[19]

Transport sector

In February 2013, Estonia had a network of 165 fast chargers for electric cars (for a population of 1.3 million).[20] This grew to 400 in 2022.

See also

References
  1. "Peat production drops faster than expected in Finland – but may be on the way back". YLE News. 2022-04-19. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  2. "Peat producers after strategic reserve for the heating season". ERR. 2022-04-26. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  3. "Estonia – plan for 100% electricity from RES by 2030". 7 September 2022.
  4. "Energy consumption in Estonia". 2020.
  5. "National Energy and Climate Plan". 8 March 2023.
  6. "100 per cent renewable electricity is a realistic and necessary target for Estonia and Europe". 19 October 2022.
  7. "'Largest wind farm in Baltic states' Nordex wins 255MW order in Estonia". 18 January 2023.
  8. "Solar power sees biggest growth in Estonia for yet another year". 10 February 2023.
  9. "Regional Outlook 2021 - Country notes" (PDF). Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  10. "EU Cohesion Policy: €354 million for Estonia to phase out oil shale in energy production". 10 October 2022.
  11. "Estonia to use 100% renewable energy by 2030". October 2022.
  12. "Estonia imposes a ban on natural gas imports and purchases from Russia". 29 September 2022.
  13. "Paldiski LNG terminal dock completed ahead of schedule". 28 October 2022.
  14. "Finland opens floating liquified natural gas terminal to replace Russian supply". 28 December 2022.
  15. Francu, Juraj; Harvie, Barbra; Laenen, Ben; Siirde, Andres; Veiderma, Mihkel A study on the EU oil shale industry viewed in the light of the Estonian experience. A report by EASAC to the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy of the European Parliament European Academies Science Advisory Council. pp. 14–15; 45. May 2007
  16. "Oil Shale Energetics in Estonia Liive, Sandor (2007) Oil Shale. A Scientific-technical Journal (Estonian Academy Publishers) 24 (1): 1–4
  17. "Electricity consumption and production". Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  18. "Baltic countries strike deal to disconnect from Russian power grid earlier than expected". 3 August 2023.
  19. "The high-speed railway that's uncoupling the Baltic states from Russia and their Soviet past". 16 September 2023.
  20. Estonia launches national electric car charging network The Guardian 20 February 2013
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