RWE eyes ‘untapped potential’ of Latvian offshore wind

The partners plan to jointly develop, construct and operate offshore wind farms in the Latvian Baltic Sea. However, they have not confirmed any firm targets for how much capacity they plan to develop.

They will form an equal partnership for offshore wind development, they stated, with RWE offering its offshore wind expertise and Latvenergo adding its knowledge of the Latvian energy market.

Their announcement follows Baltic Sea states – including Latvia – vowing to cooperate more closely on offshore wind and target a near sevenfold increase by 2030.

Latvenergo CEO Mārtiņš Čakste described Latvian offshore wind as having “untapped potential”, and said: “In the future, it will undoubtedly increase the energy independence of Latvia and neighbouring countries, and will enable the export of electricity to the growing European electricity market.”

Latvia aims to tender a 1GW cross-border project in collaboration with Estonia, RWE and Latvenergo noted. However, they have not confirmed whether they plan to enter the tender. 

Danish offshore wind giant Ørsted previously announced a partnership with local utility Enefit – a pact similar to RWE and Latvenergo’s – and plans to enter the cross-border tender.

However, details of when the auction will take place are not yet available.

Latvia aims to have 800MW of wind capacity by 2030, up from 54MW – all onshore – today, according to WIndpower Intelligence, the research and data division of Windpower Monthly.