Latvia’s electricity distribution operator Sadales Tikls has announce that it will continue to invest in the power grid infrastructure next year so as to improve the quality and security of the electricity supply, as well as the abilities of capacity. This was reported to the LETA News Agency by the company’s CEO, Sandis Jansons.
Jansons says that when it comes to the power supply, key objectives next year will include balanced development of the national energy portfolio, as well as greater balance between power generation and consumption capacity.
“It is important to bear in mind that solar energy is a seasonal thing which cannot provide electricity year round and at night, so the development of other, less volatile energy sources should also be included in our portfolio,” he explains.
The CEO predicted that solar energy capacity will continue to expand in Latvia next year, with a likely maximum of 900 megawatts (MW) in the system by the end of 2025. This forecast is based on announced projects and the extent to which they have been implemented.
“This is more than what we need for consumption during the summer season, at least on the basis of current data,” Jansons says. He added, however, that this will mean low or even negative electricity prices during sunny weather, which is a problem when addressing the issue of surplus solar electricity.
Latvia has gone from “one extreme to the other,” in Jansons’ view, when it comes to the development of solar generation – from zero to a disproportionately rapid increase in capacity.
“Some solar developers may realise that their business model is no longer profitable,” Jansons explains. “Who wants to sell electricity at a negative price?”
Asked about potential ways of increasing Latvia’s electricity generation capacity and overall consumption of electricity, Jansons plumped for electrification, including the use of cheap solar energy in the heating sector. The transport sector also has a great potential for electrification, with the number of registered electric vehicles in Latvia on the rise at a time when the country’s EV charging network has also been expanding.
Source: BNS
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