Latvia Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in latvia, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Renewable Energy Equipment
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Overview

Due to substantial hydroelectric capacity, Latvia already has one of the “greenest” supplies of energy in the world, with green sources of energy making up about 40 percent of total energy consumption.  However, the European Union has set ambitious goals to reduce the effects of climate change and increase renewable energy use.  The current EU policy dictates that Latvia must increase the share of renewable energy in its final energy consumption and Latvia has plans to reach 50 percent by 2030 according to the EU’s National Energy and Climate Action Plan 2030. 

Much of Latvia’s heat and electricity still comes from imported natural gas.  The Latvian government is interested in diversifying supplies and in developing more local resources to reduce the country’s reliance on foreign sources of energy.

To reach these targets, government agencies and entrepreneurs have discussed options to move beyond hydropower into wind and biomass power plants.  Many stretches of the Baltic coast have wind conditions suitable for wind parks, especially offshore.  Over half of Latvia is covered by forest, so wood biomass presents excellent potential for further development.  In addition to renewable energy projects, Latvia remains interested in pursuing a possible liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal to enhance its energy supply source diversity.

Leading Sub-Sectors

The best prospects for U.S. exports in the renewable energy sector include energy-efficiency solutions and equipment, combined heat and power turnkey plants, biomass gasification technology, wind parks, hydrogen, and related technology.

Opportunities

Please note the Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union dedicated to European public procurement and the Latvian Export and Import Directory

The most promising sectors for renewable energy equipment in Latvia are energy efficiency solutions, biomass power, wind energy, and energy produced in combined heat and power plants.

While the Latvian government provided support in the past for the production of energy from renewable energy resources (wind, biomass, etc.), the government has suspended the existing support mechanism for renewables and is currently developing a new support plan. 

Resources

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

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As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

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Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

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