8. Renewable energy

Key data

(2018 provisional)

Renewable energy: 1.1 Mtoe (20.3% of TPES) and 2.0 TWh (16.5% of electricity generation)

IEA total renewables shares (2017): 9.9% of TPES and 24.6% of electricity generation Bioenergy: 1.0 Mtoe (18.2% of TPES) and 1.3 TWh (10.2% of electricity generation) Wind: 0.06 Mtoe (1.0% of TPES) and 0.6 TWh (5.2% of electricity generation)

Hydro: 0.001 Mtoe (0.02% of TPES) and 0.02 TWh (0.1% of electricity generation)

Overview

Since the 2013 In-depth Review, the share of renewable energy sources in total primary energy supply (TPES) has risen slightly, from 15.6% in 2012 to 19.2% in 2018. The share of renewables in electricity generation experienced limited growth over this period, increasing from 12.3% to 16.5%.

Biomass from domestic forestry continues to be the main source of renewable energy in Estonia. In 2018, bioenergy (mostly primary solid biofuels, but also a minor share of biogas and biogasoline) accounted for 95% of the renewable energy share in TPES. Bioenergy also remains the dominant source of renewable heat production. In contrast, 2018 renewable electricity generation was more evenly divided between bioenergy (66%) and wind generation (33%), with small contributions from hydropower.

Estonia’s renewable energy share of gross final energy consumption was 29.2% in 2017, well above the country’s mandatory EU 2020 target of 25% (EC, 2019). Little progress has been made towards the mandatory EU 2020 target of 10% renewables in transport, which in 2017 was only 0.32%, essentially unchanged since the last In-depth Review.

Looking to 2030, Estonia has established goals for renewable energy shares of up to 50% in both gross final energy consumption and electricity generation and renewable energy shares of 80% in heat production and 14% in transport. These goals appear to be achievable, but require the government to develop strategic plans with clearly defined deployment pathways that address the challenges to an accelerated renewable energy deployment.

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ENERGY SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION