The largest solar power plant in Latvia has been commissioned in Cēsis. Cēsu SPP will supply 10,000 households in Cēsis and nearby Vidzeme counties with green electricity annually. The project was developed by Merito Partners and Saules Energy with EUR 12 million investment from Latvian investors and co-financing from Luminor Bank.
Daiga Mieriņa, Speaker of the Saeima of the Republic of Latvia: “Innovations in energy and business go hand in hand, so I am really pleased that we are opening the largest solar park in Latvia today. This is one of the most important renewable energy projects, marking our country’s course in green energy. Cēsu SPP is a symbol of our path towards greener and more sustainable future. By investing in renewables, we help to reduce the negative impact of climate change. These projects strengthen our energy independence and economy in the long run, making us more resilient to global challenges, as well as serving the public interest.”
With an installed capacity of 19.8 MW, Cēsu SPP has started producing green electricity and will produce at least 20,400 MWh of renewable energy annually.
“Our goal is to continue to promote the development of renewable energy projects in Latvia by diversifying the range of energy production as much as possible. The availability of the required amount of renewable energy is the basis for attracting investments, creating new jobs and maintaining economic stability. Becoming self-sufficient in terms of energy, using renewable resources and using the energy produced sustainably, is an ambitious, but at the same time logical goal that will benefit every person in the country. However, this can only be achieved with the active support of local residents and the involvement of entrepreneurs and local authorities,” said Kaspars Melnis, Minister for Climate and Energy of the Republic of Latvia.
The solar power plant in Cēsis is directly connected to the distribution grid ensuring that generated electricity is available to local residents and businesses. “We are proud to be among the few counties in Latvia where a significant proportion of the electricity consumed by residents and entrepreneurs will be produced by an industrial-scale solar power plant. In recent years, Cēsis county has taken several steps toward Latvian energy-independency. This is another step that has been facilitated by private investment,” said Jānis Rozenbergs, Chairman of the Cēsis Municipality Council, at the opening of the solar power plant.
Cēsu SPP is owned by Merito Sustainable Energy Fund I (Merito Fund), the largest solar power plant operator in Latvia. Experienced experts from the company Saules Energy have been supervising the project’s development. The construction of seven new SPPs in Zilupe, Brenguļi, Inčukalns, Carnikava, Kalkūne, Koknese and Cēsis with a total capacity of 63 MW has been financed by more than more than 80 Latvian private and institutional investors.
The private capital invested in the Cēsis SPP project includes a EUR 6.5 million loan from Luminor Bank. “Luminor Bank is happy to support Latvian entrepreneurs whose projects contribute and add value to the growth of the country’s economy. The ambitious project implemented by Merito Fund is significant in Vidzeme and the whole country and has remarkable potential of return,” says llze Zoltnere, Head of the Corporate Department at Luminor.
Cēsu SPP covers 23 hectares. The construction work and the installation of 33,500 solar panels was carried out by Latvian general contractor KL Systems with more than 15 years of experience in constructing industrial solar parks in Europe and other parts of the world.
During the construction and operation of Cēsu SPP, significant attention has been paid to environmental protection and the preservation of biodiversity. Degraded and swampy areas have been converted into a usable environment – a drainage system has been created and a large suburban area has now been freed from invasive plant species. The fence around the territory of Cēsu SPP allows for the preservation of trails used by local inhabitants as much as possible. Insect houses have been installed in the territory of Cēsu SPP, also there is a natural meadow on the territory which will be available for sheep herds. The solar panels located at the solar power plant will be recycled after their exploitation (in about 30 years) with components being reused.
Mikus Janvars, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Merito Partners, points out that with the symbolic opening of the Cēsu SPP, the green infrastructure project implemented by Merito Partners and Saules Energy has reached its final stage. “The seventh of our eight solar power plants has started generating electricity in test mode, and the final SPP in Valmiera will also be commissioned this autumn. We have been able to implement a project of this scale thanks to the trust of 80 Latvian private and institutional investors, as well as banks, cooperation with local governments and, of course, the professionalism of our excellent team and partners,” emphasizes M. Janvars.
