2014-03-04
Electricity Demand Remained Stable; Renewable Resource Production Grew the Most
As much as 15 per cent of the electricity consumed in Lithuania last year, or one sixth of the kilowatt-hours consumed, was produced from renewable resources. Wind energy production increased by a tenth, while electricity produced by hydroelectric power plants grew by about 13 per cent. The volume of generated solar energy grew more than 20 times. A new type of electricity producer using renewable resources also emerged; a power plant in the Klaipėda Free Economic Zone that burns waste supplied 76 million kilowatt-hours of electricity to the grid.
"Beneficial statutory and economic conditions for the development of solar power plants influenced significant growth in the volume of energy generated from solar power. The existing renewable energy resource scheme was expensive and was not always an effective means for encouraging renewable energy and ensuring sustainable energy development—in 2013, LTL 185 million of support was granted to renewable resource energy from the fund of services of public interest. Thus, in order to prevent a spike in electricity prices in Lithuania and to protect the interests of all electricity consumers, the Ministry of Energy ensured regulation in this field in 2013 by changing the legislative framework”, noted Vice Minister of Energy Renata Cytacka.
In 2013 electricity demand in Lithuania remained similar to previous years; last year we consumed a total of 9.6 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. Industrial and agricultural electricity demand grew slightly, while household consumers consumed almost two per cent less electricity than last year. Due to a warm autumn and mild December, residents conserved approximately 46 million kilowatt-hours, or about LTL 23 million, during the fourth quarter of 2013.
Power plants operating in Lithuania produced six per cent less electricity than last year. Thermal power plant production declined the most; in 2013, they produced a fifth less electricity than the previous year. Some larger companies’ power plants did not produce electricity for almost half a year.
“It is likely that the main reason for lower local generation is not only the warm end of the year but also high prices for imported fuel. Imported electricity allows for maintaining a lower price on the electricity exchange. This is clearly seen by comparing electricity prices in the Nord Pool Spot exchange’s Lithuanian, Finnish, or Swedish trade zones; each month’s average price there is lower than in Lithuania”, says Daivis Virbickas, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Litgrid, the electricity transmission system operator.
As in the previous year, about two-thirds—66 per cent—of the electricity consumed in Lithuania was imported.
| TWh / 1 TWh (terawatt-hour) = 1 billion kWh (kilowatt-hours) | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| Electricity production (Net) | 4.453 | 4.706 | 4.398 |
| Thermal power plants | 2.783 | 3.036 | 2.356 |
| Lithuanian Power Plant | 1.099 | 1.423 | 1.099 |
| Vilnius Power Plant | 0.535 | 0.434 | 0.427 |
| Kaunas Power Plant | 0.369 | 0.321 | 0.261 |
| Panevėžys Power Plant | 0.187 | 0.096 | 0.07 |
| Other thermal power plants | 0.593 | 0.762 | 0.5 |
| Hydroelectric power plants | 1.049 | 0.935 | 1.059 |
| Kaunas Hydroelectric Power Plant | 0.386 | 0.325 | 0.424 |
| Kruonis Pumped Storage Plant | 0.573 | 0.514 | 0.543 |
| Small hydroelectric power plant | 0.09 | 0.096 | 0.092 |
| Wind turbines | 0.473 | 0.538 | 0.6 |
| Wind turbines connected to the transmission grid | 0.382 | 0.437 | 0.494 |
| Wind turbines connected to the distribution grid | 0.091 | 0.101 | 0.106 |
| Other renewable energy resources | 0.148 | 0.197 | 0.383 |
| Biofuel-burning power plants | 0.148 | 0.195 | 0.263 |
| Solar power plants | 0.002 | 0.045 | |
| Waste-burning power plants | 0.076 | ||
| Commercial system balance (import-export) | 6.739 | 6.619 | 6.946 |
| Import | 8.708 | 8.561 | 7.606 |
| Export | 1.969 | 1.942 | 0.66 |
| Total electricity demand in Lithuania | 11.192 | 11.325 | 11.344 |
| Kruonis Pumped Storage Plant activation | 0.796 | 0.718 | 0.77 |
| Total electricity consumption | 10.396 | 10.607 | 10.574 |
| Network technological costs | 0.937 | 0.947 | 0.929 |
|
Final electricity consumption
|
9.458
|
9.660
|
9.645
|
| Industry | 3.607 | 3.704 | 3.712 |
| Transport | 0.1 | 0.11 | 0.106 |
| Agriculture | 0.205 | 0.23 | 0.233 |
| Residents | 2.618 | 2.642 | 2.591 |
| Services and other consumers | 2.927 | 2.974 | 3.003 |
Final electricity consumption is electricity produced in Lithuania and imported into the country minus electricity exports, electricity needed to activate the Kruonis Pumped Storage Plant, and electricity necessary for electricity transmission and distribution grid technological needs.
