Share of renewable energy in electricity production is increasing

Estonian enterprises produced 133 GWh wind power and 28 GWh hydro power in 2008. The remarkable rise in wind power production took place in 2005, increasing seven times compared to the previous year. After that year the production of wind energy has increased, but not so fast. In 2005–2008 the production of hydro power was more stable and slower. Despite the share of renewable energy in electricity production is relatively small, it has increased from year to year and accounted for 1.5% in 2008. The year before the respective indicator was 0.9%.

Power plants continued the application of combined heat and power (CHP) generation, which is cleaner in terms of the environment. In 2008, there were 17 CHP-plants in Estonia which gave about 9% of electricity and 30% of heat energy. Compared to 2007, the electricity production by CHP generation increased about 5%.

The decline of economy has reduced the domestic consumption of energy about 4% in 2008 compared to 2007. Total primary energy production decreased 4%, too. During 2008 the enterprises produced less oil shale, peat and wood than in the previous year. Only hydro and wind energy production increased (over 40%).

In 2008 exports of energy products decreased. Exports of electricity decreased 16% mainly caused by the fall in exports to Latvia by about two times. At the same time, continuously the main product for external market was shale oil, of the production of which more than half was exported — mainly to the United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, Belgium and Latvia.

Imports of energy products decreased about a tenth. 20% less motor fuels and 4% less natural gas was imported compared to the previous year. At the same time imports of electricity increased about four times, mainly on account of partial replacement of own production with imported electricity. Imports of electricity from Latvia were over two times larger and from Lithuania about four times larger compared to 2007.

Production of wind and hydro energy, 2002–2008