Ministry plans to phase out shale and triple renewable electricity in 2035
The Estonian Ministry of Climate has produced an energy development plan for 2035, which will now be subject to a strategic environmental assessment. According to the new plan (ENMAK), which is to be adopted at the end of next year, Estonia will phase out electricity generated by shale oil in 2035 and also aims to at least triple the current production levels of renewable electricity.
While Estonia currently has 1,850 MW of renewable electricity capacity, this is expected to increase to 5,750 MW in 2035.
"Most of it will be from onshore wind, and there will certainly be biomass and solar - these are the main volumes and technologies that we will use to fill the renewable electricity portfolio," said Rein Vaks, head of the energy department at the Ministry of Climate.
Renewable energy developers say the ENMAK plan is feasible.
"How the electricity price will change in the process, or whether any subsidies have been allocated for it, we do not yet have clarity at the moment regarding what is behind the implementation plan," said Enefit Green Board Chair Juhan Aguraiuja.
"The beauty of forecasting over ten years is that we actually have enough time to set targets and implement them. We can shape our own future," said Priit Koit, CEO of Utilitas Group.
However, by 2033, Estonia could also have 1,000 MW of offshore wind power.
"What is clear is that offshore wind farms are unlikely to happen without subsidies, and, at the moment, the government will have to make that decision," Aguraiuja said.
The subsidy would cover two terawatt-hours (TWh) per year. However, in order to establish offshore wind farms, Estonia's electricity consumption would have to increase from the current 8.5 TWh per year to 15.4 TWh per year, in order for renewable energy tariffs for consumers to remain at around the current level. That increase in consumption would be achievable with the addition of large electricity consumers.
"Globally, there is a trend towards increasing volumes, and Estonia is no exception. So an increase in consumption volumes is entirely possible," Koit said.
"There is no specific plant behind this 15.4 TWh analysis, it is a mathematical trick. If we have all these plants on the market in 2035, the average final price of electricity, including taxes, network charges and renewable energy charges, should be 15.4 cents per kilowatt-hour (KWh)," Vaks said.
Only the Auvere power plant will continue generating electricity from oil shale until 2035. After that the plant will be able to use biomass, for example. Of today's capacity, only the Kiisa emergency power plant, which runs on gas, will remain. Biomass and gas capacities at that time will be 1,200 MW.
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Editor: Marko Tooming, Michael Cole