Work continues on developing energy communities in Latvia

In Latvia, the main barrier for establishing energy communities is the lack of comprehensive regulation. While the basic definitions and rights are set, more specific organizational and technical provisions are still in progress. Recently, a new public funding programme was adopted within the Modernization fund and is expected to promote municipality-led community projects.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Climate and Energy has prepared a new legal definition of an “active customer”. It states that no more than 20% of renewable energy produced by an active customer may be sold or exported within the net billing scheme, however, these limits will not apply to energy sharing among the members of energy communities. While regulation of self-consumption is needed to better balance market activities with grid capacities and public support schemes, it is important to ensure that different forms of collective self-consumption and use of the distribution system for energy communities remain possible.  

To bring together all parties and work on what is needed for the launch of the first energy community projects, Riga Planning Region has established a new stakeholder group within the ShareRES project. This summer, it held several meetings to prepare for a broader national-level discussion that will take place on 12 September 2023 in Riga, Latvia.