Renewable Energy Covered 15% of Electricity Consumption in the Second Quarter

In the second quarter of the year electricity production from renewable sources was equal to 15% of Estonian electricity consumption, which is 2% less than a year ago. Production of renewable energy in Estonia was around one-tenth less than a year before at 260 GWh.

The majority of renewable energy, 72% of the total, came from waste-to-energy and biomass, 24% came from wind energy, and 4% was hydro-energy.

Applications for the renewable energy subsidy totalled 13.4 million euros in the second quarter, which is 11% less than a year ago. The reason for the fall was the change in the law from 1 July 2010 which allowed subsidies for electricity produced from biomass only if it was produced in CHP mode. This meant that from the third quarter of 2010 biomass did not receive subsidies in the same way as the other fuels used in condensation plants.

The change in the law combined with relatively warmer weather and the changeover of the Väo power plant from biomass to peat, to lower production from waste and biomass in the second quarter by 18% from 228 GWh to 187 GWh.

Applications for subsidies for efficient CHP mode production rose by 42% or 1.1 million euros. As a result, the amount of electricity receiving subsidies for production in efficient CHP mode rose by 42% in the second quarter from 25 GWh to almost 35 GWh.

Hydroelectricity production dropped from 11 GWh in the second quarter of 2010 to 10 GWh, which can be explained by precipitation levels that were 21% lower in the second quarter of this year according to the Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute. Production of electricity from wind was largely similar to last year’s level, rising only 3% from 61 GWh to 63 GWh.