According to the Ministry of Energy, Lithuania's largest solar park, located in the Molėtai area, was inaugurated recently. This solar park, developed by Danish solar developer Nordic Solar, boasts a capacity of 100MW, making it the country's largest operational solar project. The Ministry estimates that it will supply electricity to approximately 28,000 homes annually.
150,00020 Photovoltaic Modules Installed on a 150-hectare Land
The Danish company Nordic Solar invested in the solar power project. With 150,000 photovoltaic modules and a 150-hectare footprint, the solar park can generate 100MW of electricity. PV news reported.
Situated in the hilly terrain of Molėtai, the solar park benefits from its strategic location, capturing sunlight from various angles throughout the day. Additionally, the park utilizes double-sided solar panels developed by Nordic Solar, enabling electricity generation from both sides. Connected to the power grid in April through collaboration with Litgrid, Lithuania’s electricity transmission system operator, the Molėtai solar park aligns with the objectives outlined in the National Energy Independence Strategy.
Daiva Garbaliauskaitė, Lithuania’s deputy minister of Energy, emphasized Lithuania's commitment to ambitious energy goals, aiming to enhance national electricity generation for complete energy independence.
“In order to achieve total energy independence, Lithuania has set lofty energy targets, such as raising the country's output of power. We are making every effort to establish a high-value, sustainable energy sector as we work towards this objective,” Daiva remarked.
Solar Projects Advances in the Baltics Despite Land Scarcity
Despite land scarcity in the Baltic countries – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – the region compensates with rapid development of solar PV projects and becomes more appealing to developers. In the previous year, a Lithuanian renewables developer allocated €179 million (US$192 million) to construct nearly 200 megawatts of solar PV in the Baltics. Additionally, in August 2023, European Energy disclosed plans to establish a 65 megawatt PV farm in the municipality of Anyksciai, Lithuania.
This strategy aims to achieve a total installed solar power capacity of 4.1 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, with the ultimate goal of sourcing all electricity from local renewable energy sources. Further expansion is projected, with installed solar power expected to reach 9 GW by 2050.
Lithuania Raised its Solar Capacity Goal From 0.8GW to 5.1GW by 2030
Nordic Solar operates solar parks across nine European nations, boasting a combined production capacity of approximately 390 megawatts peak (MWp). Nikolaj Holtet Hoff, CEO of Nordic Solar, emphasized the significance of Lithuania as a strategic market due to its EU and Eurozone status, aligning with the increasing demand for renewable energy and efforts to bolster local energy resilience.
Expressing enthusiasm for contributing to Lithuania's renewable energy transition, Hoff highlighted the potential impact of solar energy in the region. Lithuania has recently garnered attention in the life sciences industry, particularly in biotech and medtech innovation sectors, with Invest Lithuania securing 57 investment projects totaling €134.5 million ($147 million) in the past year.
According to Hoff, "Lithuania is an important market for us to enter as it is an EU and Euro country, and we see beneficial synergy between the demand for more renewable energy, the focus on strengthening the local energy supply, and our approach." "We are thrilled to be a part of Lithuania's local shift to renewable energy, as solar power can have a significant impact here."
The Lithuanian Ministry of Energy reports that the country has installed 1.3GW of solar PV capacity thus far, reflecting the growing interest in solar PV in the country. The nation raised its goal of installing solar capacity by six times, from 0.8GW to 5.1GW by 2030, under its revised National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP).