Analytics, Energy, Latvia, Statistics

Energy consumption in Latvia, PJ

During the recent years, the structure of gross energy consumption has changed – as the share of natural gas is declining, the proportion of renewables is growing. Over the past ten years, the share of consumption of natural gas dropped by 4.2 percentage points (pp), constituting 25.4% in 2016, meanwhile the share of fuelwood rose by 4.4 pp, comprising 29.4 %. 

Compared to 2015, in 2016 the volume of wood chips produced rose by 18.8%, resulting in an increase in the consumption of wood chips in transformation sector by 23.7% and growth in the export thereof of 79.4%. In 2016, 29.3 PJ of pelleted wood were exported, which is 4.7% more than in 2015. The renewables used in Latvia are local resources, therefore as the gross consumption of renewables was growing, the Latvian energy dependence² fell from 63.9% in 2005 to 51.2% in 2015.

As the gross consumption of renewables is increasing, Latvia is getting closer to the strategic objective regarding use of renewable energy resources aiming at reaching 40% of the energy produced from renewables in the gross final energy consumption until 2020.

Latvia has the third highest share of renewables in the final energy consumption in the European Union (EU); in 2015, the indicator constituted 37.6% (EU average 16.7%). The EU Member States shall ensure that until 2020 the share of renewables consumed in transport sector is 10%. In 2015, Latvian share of renewables in transport constituted 3.9% and EU average 6.7%.

Changes in consumption of primary energy resources in 2016, compared to 2015

*Charcoal, straw, other biomass, biogas, biofuel, waste tyres, municipal waste for burning.

In 2016, 54.3 PJ of energy resources were consumed for production of heat and electricity (transformation sector³) and 42.5 PJ of energy were produced (of which 29.0 PJ of heat and 13.5 PJ of electricity), which is 8.5% more than in 2015. Production of heat and electricity in Latvia mainly is based on fossil fuel – natural gas, the share thereof in transformation sector has been decreasing gradually: 81.0% in 2010, 63.5% in 2015 and 60.1% in 2016. The share of renewables consumed in transformation sector has risen by 22.3% over the five years, reaching 39.5% in 2016. It may be assessed as a positive trend, bearing in mind that the renewables used in transformation sector are local resources fuelwood, biogas and other biomass.

Compared to 2015, in 2016 final energy consumption has not changed and constituted 163.6 PJ (rise of 0.1%). Over the last ten years, no notable changes were recorded in the final energy consumption. In 2016, transport sector consuming on average 30.4% of the energy resources, households (29.0%) and industry (20.8%) are the largest consumers of energy sources.

Changes in final energy consumption, compared to 2015

Over the past five years, consumption of energy resources in transport sector has went up by 8.2%, reaching 49.8 PJ in 2016. Diesel oil is the main energy resources used in the transport sector, and the share thereof constituted 63.3%. During the recent years, significant increase in the share of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) consumed may be observed. In 2011, the indicator constituted 1.2 PJ, whereas in 2016 – 2.6 PJ or 118.8% more. In its turn, compared to 2015, consumption of LPG has dropped by 3.4%. Consumption of motor petrol in transport sector has declined by 26.8% since 2011, reaching 8.4 PJ in 2016, which is 2.4% less than in 2015.

During the last five years, consumption of energy resources in industry has not changed, reducing by 1.5% since 2011 and reaching 34.1 PJ in 2016. In 2016, the greatest energy consumption was recorded in manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork – 18.8 PJ or 55.2% of the final energy consumption in industry. Compared to 2015, in 2016 energy consumption in this sector fell by 0.7%, as the volume of pelleted wood and wood briquettes diminished. In 2016, 28.1 PJ of pelleted wood and wood briquettes were produced, which is 4.0% less than in 2015. Compared to 2015, in 2016 construction sector witnessed the greatest energy resource consumption decline – of 26.5%.

In 2016, consumption of energy resources in households amounted to 47.4 PJ, which is 2.5% more than in 2015. Structure of energy resource consumption in households does not change notably year by year; fuelwood is the most commonly used energy resource – firewood (86.9%), pelleted wood (9.4%), wood briquettes and wood waste (3.7%).

¹ Gross consumption of energy resourcesincludes consumption of energy resources for heat and electricity production (transformation sector), and final consumption, which includes all sectors of the national economy, as well as households.

²Energy dependence is an indicator calculated by subtracting the volume of exports from the volume of imports of energy resources, and dividing this number by the gross energy consumption and adding bunkering.

³Transformation sector includes the volume of energy resources consumed for production of electricity and heat for sale.