Minister: Clean energy to become the backbone of Estonian economy

TALLINN - In his presentation on the implementation of the long-term development strategy "Estonia 2035" to the Riigikogu on Wednesday, Minister of Energy and the Environment Andres Sutt said that clean energy will become the backbone of the Estonian economy.

Sutt said that by 2030, Estonia's renewable electricity production capacity will double compared to 2024.

"Last year, two-thirds of the electricity produced in Estonia came from renewable energy. Of that, two-thirds came from solar and wind. Clearly, wind energy still has a lot of potential, alongside which we definitely need storage and good external connections," the minister said, adding that by 2035, Estonia must have enough domestic production and storage capacity to ensure low prices and a secure supply.

However, the success of renewable energy does not mean the disappearance of dispatchable capacities. Both now and in the future, Estonia must have sufficient dispatchable production in addition to external connections, solar, wind, and short- and long-term storage. He said that while the question of "what happens when the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow" may sound as a cliche, it indeed requires an answer.

While currently the back-up capacity is mainly provided by various oil shale powered plants, in the long term it is too expensive to keep them in operation, not to mention that their lifetime is not infinite.

"Gas-fired power plants will take their place, which are cheaper and cleaner to run, especially as they are a proven and reliable technology by world standards," Sutt said.

One option for providing stable and manageable power is a nuclear plant. The steps taken towards nuclear energy are not about rushing blindly towards it, but about going deeper and making considered decisions, the minister stressed. Nuclear power is a good fit for us, once a calm debate has taken place in society and thorough preparatory work ensures safety and brings a more affordable price.

In his presentation, Sutt also spoke about the preparation of the Climate Resilient Economy Act, maintaining Estonia's air quality, the new forest policy, nature conservation, the security of critical infrastructure and reducing Estonia's carbon emissions.