Renewable energy accounted for 15.1 per cent of total power consumption last year

1,412 gigawatt-hours of electricity energy was produced from renewable resources in Estonia last year, which is six per cent less than in 2015. Renewable energy production totalled 15.1 per cent of total power consumption, compared to 16.7 per cent in 2015.

Estonia has set an objective to bring its share of renewable energy up to 17.6 per cent of total power consumption by 2020. The mid-term goal set for 2016 was 13.2 per cent.

In the fourth quarter of last year, renewable energy amounted to 17.9 per cent of gross electricity consumption in Estonia. This indicator was 17.8 per cent during the same period in 2015.

The amount of renewable energy that received subsidies decreased by four per cent, reaching 1,203 gigawatt-hours last year.

Biomass, biogas and waste totalled 55.6 per cent of renewable energy gross production last year. 785 gigawatt-hours of electricity was produced from these resources. The volume produced in 2015 was just short of this amount.

In 2016, wind energy totalled 41.7 per cent of renewable energy gross consumption and wind power plants produced 589 gigawatt-hours of electricity over the year. Wind energy production decreased by 15 per cent in a year. Though the limit for subsidised wind energy as set out in the Electricity Market Act – 600 gigawatt-hours per calendar year – was met in the previous year, it was not met last year.

Hydro energy production totalled 35 gigawatt-hours last year. In comparison with 2015, solar energy constituted the biggest growth – the volume of electricity energy produced doubled, reaching almost three gigawatt-hours and the amount of subsidies increased accordingly, reaching more than 149,000 euros in an overall annual. However, that sum is marginal when compared to the total amount of subsidies paid out. The number of solar panel owners who receive subsidies is approaching 700. Over 200 producers were added over the course of the year.

In 2016, subsidies for the production of efficient combined heat and power were paid out by eight per cent less in a year-on-year comparison, with the total amount being 4.4 million euros. The amount of electricity energy produced through combined heat and power that received subsidies decreased from 151 gigawatt-hours to 140 gigawatt-hours.

In total, 69 million euros of subsidies for renewable energy and efficient combined heat and power were paid out in 2016. The total amount of subsidies decreased by three million euros last year, mainly due to the decreased production of wind farms.