Wind Energy – Latvia
The Latvian government has rejected the application by the Danish renewable energy company Ørsted for an area in Latvian waters for the potential development of a Latvian-Estonian joint offshore wind project, ELWIND.
“The Latvian Ministry of Economics and State Chancellery has decided to decline Ørsted’s application for a site in Latvian waters, while the Ministry considers the possible location of the announced ELWIND project,” Peter Obling, Head of Markets in Region Continental Europe of Ørsted said.
“The application may be re-opened, subject to the outcome of the ELWIND site selection process. Ørsted remains committed to developing offshore wind in the Baltics and to our partnership with Enefit in the region,” he added.
In 2021, Ørsted signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Enefit, part of the Estonian Eesti Energia Group, to jointly develop large-scale offshore wind projects in the Baltic countries.
As part of the MoU, Eesti Energia and Ørsted plan to establish a joint venture for the development of offshore wind opportunities in the Baltic countries, including the Liivi offshore wind project in the Gulf of Riga.
“The Liivi offshore wind farm is currently the only offshore wind development which has the potential to be completed by 2028. The current EIA process will be completed by 2023. The intention of Enefit will be to be ready for the investment decision by 2025,” Hando Sutter, CEO of Enefit said.
According to Eesti Energia, Enefit will continue to develop the Liivi offshore wind farm in Estonia.