Development of Renewable Energy in Lithuania: Experience, State and Trends

Abstract

In recent decades, the growing number of citizens and improving life quality have increased energy consumption in the world and Europe, as well as in Lithuania. Despite the fact that an increasing number of countries are focusing on the development of renewable energy, most of the energy is produced by using fossil fuels. As a result, climate change is being felt more than ever before. One of the ways to mitigate climate change is the development of renewable energy sources in the world, Europe and Lithuania. Last year, Lithuania produced 5,142 TWh of electricity, which accounted for 47% of the country’s total electricity consumption, and 22.2% of all electricity consumption was generated using renewable energy sources. According to the Lithuanian National Energy Independence Strategy, 70% of electricity will have to be produced in Lithuania by 2030, reaching 100% by 2050. However, electricity imports and resulting energy dependence are still a major challenge in Lithuania. To address the ambitious goals of eliminating energy dependence and developing climate-neutral technologies, the last decade has seen the focus on the development of renewable energy, and wind energy in particular. Forecasts for the future suggest that by the middle of the century, the country will be producing electricity mainly from renewable sources including onshore and offshore wind energy, large- and small-scale solar energy, and bioenergy systems.