Lithuania pursuing energy independence through renewables-based strategy

The Lithuanian Parliament on Friday approved a revised national energy strategy, setting a goal for the Baltic nation to meet 80% of its total energy demand with renewables by 2050.

The plan, targeting to lower Lithuania’s reliance on imported power, also sets an objective for 70% of the final electricity consumption to be met by generation from domestic energy facilities by 2030. An interim goal under the strategy, stipulates that the share of power and heat from renewable energy resources reaches 45% and up to 90%, respectively, by 2030. Meanwhile, the share of locally-generated power and heat coming from renewable and clean energy sources is planned to be 100% by 2050.

The Seimas, as the Parliament is called, has backed the strategy in an effort to enhance the national energy market by a range of measures in four main directions: energy security; green project development; efficient energy consumption; and competitiveness and innovation. "Our main aspirations are to end Lithuania's energy dependence on Russia once and for all, and no longer be either an energy island or peninsula," said energy minister Zygimantas Vaiciunas.

In terms of energy security, the plan envisages integrating the national energy systems and markets into those of the European Union (EU) by synchronising the electricity network through Poland by 2025, and creating a gas pipeline interconnection between Lithuania and Poland by 2021.

Overall, renewables will become the key source of energy in all sectors and consumers will also be encouraged to take part in the generation process. Energy efficiency in the industrial, building and transport sectors will also be increased. According to the press statement, the adopted measures aim to turn Lithuania “from a country importing energy technologies into a state that develops and exports advanced technology.”

Under the recently-agreed package of new rules for renewable energy in the EU, all member states are required to source from renewables 32% of their total energy consumption by 2030. Each country within the bloc has to present its national energy and climate plans by end-2018 with proposed actions for achieving the binding target.

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