Renewable energy accounts for 20.2 per cent of electricity consumed in Q3

In Q3, Estonia’s power plants generated 399 gigawatt-hours of renewable energy and renewable energy made up 20.2 per cent of total power consumption in Estonia. Estonia has established 15.7 percent as the target level for the proportion of renewable energy this year.

In the last two years, the electricity produced from renewable sources in Q3 has covered slightly over 19 per cent of total consumption.

The amount of renewable energy generated in Q3 this year was lower than that of year’s first two quarters, but was on par with Q3 last year.

Slightly less electricity was generated from biomass than in Q3 of last year and nearly three times more solar energy than during the same period last year. Generation from biomass, waste and biogas made up 62 per cent of the total renewable output in Q3, while electricity produced from wind made up 31 per cent and solar accounted for close to 6 per cent of the entirety of renewable energy output.

In Q3 125 gigawatt-hours of electricity was generated from wind, for which Producers received 5.4 million euros in subsidies – 14 per cent less than in the same period last year. A total of 81 per cent of wind energy generated was subsidized and over nine months, 66 per cent of the wind energy subsidies forecasted for 2019 had been paid. Of the wind energy output set forth in legislation as being supported by subsidies (600 gigawatt-hours), 66 percent – 395 gigawatt-hours – had been generated by the nine-month mark.

Over three months, the electricity generated from biomass, biogas and waste amounted to 249 gigawatt-hours and 12 million euros in subsidies were paid for this electricity during Q3 this year.

One gigawatt-hour of electricity was produced from hydroelectric energy in Q3 and subsidies totalled 36,000 euros.

The number of solar panel owners receiving subsidies continues to grow at a fast pace and in Q3 of this year, the quantity of electricity generated by solar panels and fed into the grid was 23 gigawatt-hours. As most of the solar energy generated is consumed by micro-producers themselves on site, the total amount of electricity generated using solar panels might be as much as 4-5 times bigger than the quantity that was fed into the grid and subsidized.

Slightly more efficient co-generation support was paid this Q3 compared to last year at the same time – 184,000 euros. About 6 gigawatt-hours of power was produced in efficient co-generation mode.

Electricity consumers finance the support for electricity generated from renewable sources and efficient co-generation by means of the renewable energy charge. During the first nine months, Elering garnered 61.9 million euros in renewable energy charges, and paid 65.9 million euros in subsidies. More details about the renewable energy subsidies are available on the Elering website.