Offshore wind energy will be one of the key directions of modernization of the energy system in the Baltic States. The increase in the share of green energy in total consumption is a requirement of the European Union’s climate policy. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have already achieved or are close to achieving the 2020 renewable energy goals. However, they face further challenges. Estonia faces the most difficult task, which by 2030 should also significantly reduce CO2 emissions, from 21 to 12 million tons per year. To this end, investments in wind farms are necessary. According to the analysts of the European Copper Institute, in order to fully utilize the offshore potential, parallel investments in the modernization and development of energy networks are necessary.
– Estonia was the first of the Baltic States to reach 30% of final energy consumption from renewable sources. The Tallinn government also announces that this share will increase to 50% for electricity and 80% for heat over the next decade. It should be remembered that Estonia is the second largest CO2 emitter per inhabitant in the European Union. This country is dependent on the extraction of bituminous shale, a solution that is not ecological, but very effective, providing the state with almost complete energy independence. The problem of excessive CO2 emissions can be solved by diversifying energy sources, including the use of the potential of the Baltic Sea coast and the development of the distribution and transmission network, says Michał Ramczykowski, Managing Director of the European Copper Institute in Poland
The establishment of three wind farms with a total capacity of 1.49 GW is already planned: near the island of Hiiumaa, in the Gulf of Riga and on the west coast of Estonia. Unfortunately, their construction is being suspended by legal disputes. Annually, wind, onshore and offshore turbines currently produce around 670 GWh of energy. By 2030, this volume is to be increased at least three and a half times to 2.5 TWh.
Baltic countries as a model for the West
The European Commission indicates the Baltic countries as role models for those Western European countries that are still lagging behind in meeting their climate commitments. Lithuania expects renewable sources to meet 45% of total demand, or about 7 TWh of energy, in 2030. By 2050, however, it is expected to be around 80%. To this end, an offshore wind energy development plan was created. It envisages the creation of turbines with a total capacity of 3.35 GW, mainly in the zone 30 km away from the coast.
Green energy in Latvia comes primarily from hydroelectric power plants and biomass. Wind energy is a much less developed area, which is why the government plans its development. Decisions are to be taken at the end of this year.
– The fact that technology prices have fallen significantly, which translates into increased competition on the producer market and a significant reduction in the need for subsidies by the state, also speaks in favor of increasing investment in wind energy. The Estonian government hopes that by 2030 it will no longer have to subsidize renewable energy, adds an expert of the European Copper Institute in Poland
Not only energy production, but also its distribution and transmission
The development of cross-border smart energy networks in the Baltic region, connecting offshore wind farms from Poland, Sweden, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia as well as Denmark and Germany, is another important issue. According to the European Copper Institute, this solution will increase the efficiency of electricity production and distribution in the long run, and as a result reduce the costs and degree of impact of wind farms on other users of sea routes, as well as on the natural environment. The benefits are indisputable. To achieve them, however, cooperation and commitment are necessary in order to develop and implement relevant legal regulations at international level, followed by infrastructural investments.
The more modern the transmission network, the lower the energy losses, which translates into a smaller amount of electricity, which must be produced, transported and transmitted. Therefore, the development of energy networks should be based on copper. Its properties, such as: high electrical conductivity, durability and processability (100% recyclability) make it necessary for modern and sustainable energy based on renewable energy sources. Copper significantly improves energy efficiency and reduces transmission losses. Each kilogram of copper used in the energy system saves from 500 kWh to 50 MWh of primary energy, which means that it can save up to 6000 euros.
It is estimated that by utilizing the excellent electrical conductivity of copper, it will be possible to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 100 million tonnes annually in the next 10 years in Europe. Assuming that in the long term we are striving to build a zero-carbon economy – copper should be its key element.
European Copper Institute (EIM) www.instytutmiedzi.pl operates as part of the global organization Copper Alliance, which aims to create market conditions for increasing the use of copper products and its alloys in such areas of the economy as energy, telecommunications, construction, architecture, environmental protection and health care. The Institute’s activity consists in disseminating reliable knowledge about the properties and technical parameters of copper, the use of which allows creating solutions that improve the quality of human life and climate protection, including through improving energy efficiency and developing renewable energy sources. The European Copper Institute points out the key role of copper in the energy transformation process, it also runs the education and information platform www.Leonardo-ENERGY.pl for clean energy and climate.