According to Eurostat, in 2018, the European Union’s share of energy from renewable sources (RES) averaged 18%, while in Lithuania this figure reached 24.5% (in 2010 – 19.6%).
Lithuanian experts say that Vilnius was able to achieve this result, first of all, due to the active use of solid biofuels (pellets and chopped wood) for the production of thermal energy used for heating housing stock. For other components of Lithuania’s success in using renewable energy, see DW.
use biofuels for heating
The head of the World Bioenergy Union, the head of the Lithuanian Green Party, Remigius Labinskas, names several reasons for Vilnius’ breakthrough in the use of renewable energy. “First, biofuels are increasingly being used to produce thermal energy in the country. Second, heat is supplied to city dwellers centrally,” notes Labinskas.
A quarter of Lithuania’s energy balance comes from green energy
The Ministry of Energy of Lithuania also agrees with his conclusions. A ministry spokesperson told DW that the heat supply accounts for more than 80% of the country’s total energy consumption from renewable sources. Labinskas believes that the achieved indicator – almost a quarter of the “green” energy in the energy balance – is a good result for Lithuania.
And if you look at its structure? According to the Lithuanian power system operator Litgrid, wind power plants in 2018 produced 54% of the total amount of “green” energy, solar – 4%, hydroelectric plants – 20%, and biogas biomass accounted for 11% and 7%, respectively. .
Assist “Gazprom“?
The head of the Lithuanian Renewable Energy Union, Martinas Nagyevicius, told DW that the use of “green” energy in the country had received a boost in part due to the actions of Russia’s Gazprom. Until 2014, when the gas regasification unit began operating, thanks to which Lithuania could buy LNG, Gazprom was the main supplier of gas to Lithuanian power stations and constantly increased its price.
Arrival of LNG tanker in Klaipeda
The fact that the authorities in Vilnius support the development of RES, in particular, support for the installation of solar panels, also played a role. Thus, the Ministry of Energy of Lithuania explained that for one kilowatt of electricity generated by solar panels, you can receive compensation of 323 euros.
Aistis Radavičius, director of the Lithuanian Association of Wind Farms, says that according to the association’s preliminary estimates, in 2019, wind farms produced about 13% of the country’s electricity needs. “If we work not in percentages, but in volumes of capacity, then in 2018, wind farms produced 1.45 TWh in Lithuania, and in 2019 – a record 1,453 TWh in the entire history of the country,” Radavičius added. According to him, this is about half of what households consume.
Plans of the Lithuanian authorities and private companies
In the field of “green” energy, Lithuanian private companies feel increasingly confident. Edmantas Bernathonis, a representative of the Dalis gero from Kaišiadorys, told DW that he became interested in wind energy in 2005.
According to him, the reason for the interest is the fact that at that time there was not a single modern wind power plant in Lithuania. In addition, past and present, Bernathonis believes that the future belongs to renewable energy. The businessman claims that the company will expand its activities and create two or three more wind farms.
For its part, the Lithuanian Ministry of Energy, in accordance with the National Strategy for the Development of Production and Use of Energy from Renewable Sources, undertakes in 2030 to increase its share in the total energy balance to 45%, and in 2050 – even higher to 80%. In 2050, according to forecasts of experts from the ministry, all heat for heating cities will be obtained from renewable energy sources.
Meanwhile, despite all the successes and ambitious plans, in the development of “green” energy, Lithuania lags behind its neighbors – Latvia and Estonia. In 2018, its share in the energy balance of Latvia was 40.9% and Estonia – 29.9%. Experts and representatives of the Ministry of Energy interviewed by DW attributed Vilnius’ delay to the fact that hydropower is being better developed in Latvia and Estonia.
See also:
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Climate protection in Germany: a government program until 2030
Shutting down coal-fired power stations
By 2038, the German government decided to stop the use of coal in the electric power industry – the most climate-damaging fossil energy carrier. Already in 2022, the total capacity of coal-fired power plants will decrease by a quarter. Those that run on imported coal will be shutting down at an accelerated pace. To curb brown coal mining, a number of German regions will receive billions of dollars in compensation.
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Climate protection in Germany: a government program until 2030
development of renewable energy
By 2030, 65% of the electricity consumed in Germany must be produced from renewable sources (RES), primarily aided by wind and solar energy. At the time of program adoption in September 2019, that number was around 43%. Among the measures to stimulate the development of renewable energy sources is to increase the material interest of local authorities in installing wind turbines on their territory.
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Climate protection in Germany: a government program until 2030
Provide carbon dioxide emission certificates
Anyone releasing large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere must pay for them. This is the meaning of the carbon dioxide certification system that was introduced in the European Union in 2005 for industrial enterprises. In Germany, from 2021, companies that sell different types of fuel to consumers will also be required to purchase these certificates. As a result, the price should go up.
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Climate protection in Germany: a government program until 2030
Fuel price hike
The price of carbon dioxide certificates, according to the government program, will gradually increase in 2021-25. This should lead to a gradual increase in the prices of petrol and diesel fuel in particular at filling stations. The goal of the government program is to encourage motorists to use petroleum products more economically and, eventually, to switch to environmentally friendly means of transportation.
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Climate protection in Germany: a government program until 2030
Enhanced electric mobility
The German government has expanded and extended a program until 2025 to incentivize the purchase of all-electric cars and plug-in hybrids that charge from a wall outlet. Thus, the discount for electric cars up to 40 thousand euros has been increased from 4 to 6 thousand euros, and for more expensive models it is 5 thousand euros. At the same time, it was decided to install 50,000 new public charging stations in 2020-2021.
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Climate protection in Germany: a government program until 2030
Increase taxes on airline tickets
Emissions from operating aircraft engines lead to global warming, so the German government is striving to reduce the number of flights, especially within Germany and Europe. One of the points of the climate protection program is the increase in the tax on airline tickets from April 1, 2020. In particular, from 5.65 euros to 13.03 euros when departing from airports in Germany on routes within Europe.
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Climate protection in Germany: a government program until 2030
Railway tax advantages
The more commuters prefer cars, intercity buses and electric trains for planes, the better for the climate, according to the German government. One of the points of his program is to reduce the value-added tax on railway tickets from 19% to a preferential 7% from January 1, 2020, and, as a result, reduce their price on long-distance trains by 10%. Taxes lost to the treasury are compensated by collection from air travelers.
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Climate protection in Germany: a government program until 2030
Diesel home heating ban
Significant emissions of carbon dioxide occur when buildings are heated. In many German homes, especially single-family homes, heating systems still run on fuel oil or diesel fuel, and are often very old and inefficient. And the state is ready to bear 40% of the cost of replacing it with modern, environmentally friendly technologies. And from 2026, the installation of diesel boilers will be generally prohibited.
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Climate protection in Germany: a government program until 2030
Low Energy Housing Support
The more energy-saving technologies are used in a building, the less energy is required to heat it. Therefore, from 2020, the German government, as part of the climate protection program, will provide tax incentives to all homeowners for installing energy-saving double-glazed windows in windows and for thermal insulation of walls and ceilings.
Author: Andrei Gorkov
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