European Energy has started the construction of a major solar farm in Latvia. The 148MW project is located near Targale in Ventspils county and, as one of the largest in the country, is expected to be connected to the grid by the end of 2025.
With its ambitious climate goals and a long history of hydropower use, Latvia has yet to fully explore its solar energy potential, according to Alnis Baliņs, Head of the Riga office of European Energy Latvia.
“Electricity production from renewable sources in Latvia has seen significant growth in recent years, but the momentum gained so far is not enough, and there is still too little solar and wind energy in the region,” Baliņs noted.
He added: “We hope to change this with the new solar farm. The park will consist of 240,000 solar panels, with a total capacity of 148MW, contributing to the country’s energy independence and increasing the share of renewables in the overall energy mix.”
Latvia has, to date, fallen behind its neighbouring countries in developing solar energy. As of 2023, Estonia’s solar power capacity reached 822MW, Lithuania’s 1165MW, and Latvia’s 500MW.
European Energy’s executive vice president and head of project development, Thorvald Spanggaard, highlighted the country’s renewable energy targets: “According to the Latvian National Energy and Climate Plan, the share of renewable energy in electricity generation is expected to increase significantly, from 53% to 80% by 2030.”
“To achieve this target, both wind and solar energy production must be expanded,” Spanggaard said, adding that a key factor in this growth will be the willingness of both state and private electricity consumers to enter long-term agreements for green energy.
“This aligns perfectly with European Energy’s vision and development strategy,” he concluded.
