This document summarizes Latvia's solar energy policy from 2002 to 2012. It discusses how the country introduced a feed-in tariff for solar energy in 2009, but did not allocate any new quotas in 2010. While there was a goal for solar PV target in 2020, currently there are no special procedures for small decentralized solar installations. The document also notes that upcoming policy documents plan to introduce net metering for households and that solar development has been limited without supportive policies.

1. LIEPĀJAS PILSĒTAS DOME
Solar energy policy in Latvia
Project: Solar Think Tank
Klaipeda, Lithuania
DIDZIS DEJUS, EKO darbi, Latvia

2. POLICY DOCUMENTS
«Solar radiation in Latvia is at relatively low intensity.
The total solar energy is 1109 kwh/m2 what is little
more than in Scandinavian countries. Solar energy
might be used from last decade of April till first
decade in September.»
These 2 sentences are used to «copy» and «paste» in
policy documents since 2002
2 5/30/2012
LIEPĀJAS PILSĒTAS DOME

3. FEED IN TARIFF INTRODUCED 2009
Pursuant to Cabinet Regulation No 198 (February, 24,
2009) mandatory procurement rights for (...) solar
shall be allocated by a tender procedure, evaluating
the compliance of submitted applications against
administrative and qualitative evaluation criteria
Solar quota 0,01% of yearly energy consumption
Quota under procurement – 0,67 MW
FiT – 0,43 EUR/kW
Awarded to 2 companies - 0,65 MW to SIA Kvēle
3 5/30/2012
LIEPĀJAS PILSĒTAS DOME

4. FEED IN TARIFFS SINCE 2010
Pursuant to Cabinet Regulation No 262
(March, 16, 2010) mandatory procurement rights for
(...) solar shall be allocated by a tender
procedure, evaluating the compliance of submitted
applications against administrative and qualitative
evaluation criteria
No positive decisions, because no new quota
awarded
4 5/30/2012
LIEPĀJAS PILSĒTAS DOME

5. ACTION PLAN 2020
Directive 2009/28 on the promotion of the use of
energy from renewable sources
Q: Are there specific procedures, for example simple
notification, for small-scale, decentralized installations
(such as solar panels on buildings or biomass boilers in
buildings)?
A: Currently no special procedures for small
decentralized installations have been implemented.
5 5/30/2012
LIEPĀJAS PILSĒTAS DOME

6. ACTION PLAN 2020
Q: Are there specific procedures, for example simple
notification, for small-scale, decentralized installations
(such as solar panels on buildings or biomass boilers in
buildings)?
A: Currently no special procedures for small
decentralized installations have been implemented.
6 5/30/2012
LIEPĀJAS PILSĒTAS DOME

7. SOLAR PV TARGET 2020
7 5/30/2012
LIEPĀJAS PILSĒTAS DOME

8. UPCOMING POLICY DOCUMENTS
Ministry of Economics in 2010 drafted Renewable
energy law what has been in Parliament (approved in
2nd reading) since: The Law:
plans to introduce principle of net metering for
households
Require to adopt secondary legislation for implementing
net metering principle
Ministry of Economics started to draft new Energy
Strategy in 2011
8 5/30/2012
LIEPĀJAS PILSĒTAS DOME

9. AS IS SITUATION WITHOUT POLICY
~ 40 kW solar PV installations and ~ 50 kW solar thermal
installations by solar enthusiasts
Climate change programs (CO2 quota) as investment
subsidy programs since 2010
Limited information:
On installations even if public financing involved
On technologies used
On real energy output
On motivation behind installations
9 5/30/2012
LIEPĀJAS PILSĒTAS DOME

10. For additional information and
presentations download please visit:
www.solarthinktank.eu
10 5/30/2012
LIEPĀJAS PILSĒTAS DOME