The State Construction Control Bureau (SBCB) completed the last year in which it was in charge of managing energy policy, working to further strengthen Latvia’s transition towards sustainable energy. Compared to the previous year, SCCB’s results for 2024 show growth in the implementation of renewable energy projects and in improving energy efficiency.
In 2024, SCCB issued 130 permits for new power generation projects or for increasing the capacity of existing facilities. These permits include 46 battery energy storage (BESS) projects, 22 solar power plant (SPP) projects, 2 wind power plant (WPP) projects, as well as 52 hybrid permits combining multiple energy solutions in one project. This increase in the demand for permits demonstrates the rapidly growing interest in the use of renewable energy. A total of 744 permits were active in Latvia as of the end of 2024. Obtaining a permit does not necessarily mean that the recipient will install the generation capacity specified in the permit, as the implementation of projects is affected by the available grid capacity.
For another year, SCCB provided financial support to vulnerable groups of Latvia’s society, awarding a total of EUR 24.6 million to an average of 93,187 protected users every month. Of this amount, EUR 10.2 million went to families with a large number of children, EUR 8.5 million, to persons in need and low-income persons, and EUR 5.8 million to persons with disabilities and to families with children with disabilities.
Looking back at the work done since 1 January 2020, when the SCCB was assigned the task of managing energy policy, Baiba Vītoliņa, the head of the institution, said: A professional team and a consistent approach to organising your work can lead to tangible results, even in the short run, with a positive effect on Latvia’s energy sector."
We would like to announce that on 1 February 2025, as part of a reorganisation, the energy policy functions will be handed over to the Energy and Environment Agency (EEA) which operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Climate and Energy. EVA will continue the work started by SCCB in supervising compliance with energy efficiency and sustainability requirements, offering support for the implementation of renewable energy projects and building an environment that is beneficial to sustainable investments. SCCB will continue developing various information systems, including the Energy Resource Information System, the Protected User Data Support System, and the Energy Cost Compensation Information System.
Information prepared by:
State Construction Control Bureau Public relations sector
E-mail: sa@bvkb.gov.lv, phone: 28319189
