26.06.2023
Micro-generation or self-production of electricity in households continues to develop in Latvia, with solar panels as the primary source of power. The total number of micro-generators connected to AS Sadales tīkls infrastructure reached 15 thousand by the middle of June, but their total production capacity already surpassed 120 megawatts (MW). With this capacity, on a sunny summer day, it is possible to produce the amount of electricity that corresponds to 15% of the average total daily electricity consumption in Latvia.
More than 99% of micro-generation customers chose solar panels as their production equipment, while less than 1% chose a wind-powered micro-generator. Micro-generators are installed throughout Latvia, but most are in Riga and Pierīga municipalities.
Interest in solar panels in Latvia has remained high in 2023 as well. The rate of microgeneration development is slightly slower than it was in 2022, when there was a noticeable, unprecedented boom in solar panels, but in less than six months, more than 3,500 new micro-generators were connected to the distribution system, which is still a significant amount.
“The slower rate of development of micro-generation compared to last year can be attributed to a variety of factors, the most important of which is that the market price of electricity has decreased. It reached unprecedented records last year, influenced by geopolitical conditions, and became one of the main catalysts for the overall development of micro-generation. This is a natural course of the process – after the big peaks, the pace normalises; however, it should be noted that the number of micro-generators in Latvia is still growing rapidly – up to the middle of 2023, an average of 20 new micro-generators have been connected to Sadales tīkls infrastructure every day. Achieving such a rapid rate of micro-generation development in Latvia has been made possible by the availability of state support programmes. Fully digitised process for the connection of the micro-generator is also critical, ensuring the ability to coordinate the installation of the production equipment with Sadales tīkls within two working days on average, and sometimes within a few hours,” comments Sandis Jansons, Chairman of the Management Board of Sadales tīkls.
Given the current rate of micro-generation development, the total number of micro-generators connected to Sadales tīkls by the end of 2023 could reach 18 to 20 thousand, with a total production capacity of 140-160 MW.
It is possible to connect a micro-generator or power generation device with a capacity of up to 11.1 kilowatts (kW), as well as a power station with a capacity of up to 14,999 MW to the infrastructure of the electricity distribution operator. Larger power plants are connected to the electricity transmission network (AS Augstsprieguma tīkls). More information on connecting a power plant or a micro-generator to Sadales tīkls is available on the company’s website www.sadalestikls.lv.