The Latvian Wind Energy Association (VEA) highlights the growing electricity consumption and high prices as key challenges demanding the rapid development of wind energy capacity in Latvia.
The Latvian Wind Energy Association (VEA) has raised concerns regarding the unsustainable electricity prices and increasing demand for power in the country. With electricity prices soaring in January and local power generation capacities being insufficient, VEA emphasizes the urgent need for increased wind energy developments. These issues will be addressed at the upcoming Baltic wind energy conference "WindWorks 2026," scheduled for April 9 in Riga. This conference aims to explore contemporary challenges faced by the wind energy sector and potential solutions for sustainable energy growth in Latvia.
As the energy landscape in Latvia evolves, the demand for electricity is expected to rise significantly in the coming years, driven by rapid electrification across various sectors such as transportation, heating solutions, and automation in manufacturing. Projections by Augstsprieguma tīkls (AST) suggest that electricity consumption might increase by at least 10%, potentially reaching around 7,646 GWh by 2035. In more optimistic scenarios, consumption could rise even further, up to 9,007 GWh or more, contingent on the development of future technologies like Power-to-X.
Currently, Latvia relies on approximately 20% of its electricity from imports, and this dependency, coupled with substantial regional price fluctuations, impacts both corporate competitiveness and household expenses. Therefore, the advancement of local energy production, particularly through wind energy, is critical to stabilize prices and ensure sustainable energy availability for the growing demand in the country.
