Agricultural company AS “Agrofirma Tērvete” has commissioned one of the leading electrical wholesale companies in Latvia SIA “Baltijas Elektro Sabiedrība” to construct a solar power plant in Tērvete, Dobele County. The solar power plant is planned to be put into operation in September of this year.
Board Chairman of “Agrofirma Tērvete”, Dainis Dominieks says that the electricity generated by the solar power plant will be used both for the needs of the company’s production sites and for selling to the grid: “In 2023, the operation of the complex producing electricity and other energy resources is in a stage of transition towards the new operation model, which will become fully operational in 2024, thus increasing the opportunities to juggle the functions of sale, purchase and self-consumption of energy resources. Already last year, in addition to agricultural produce the company sold 14.7 kilowatt-hours of electricity, as well as 11 660 megawatt-hours of heat. Hence the new solar power plant project will strengthen the company in the energy sector.”
The total capacity of this solar power plant will be 3 MW, which equals self-consumption of roughly 375 family homes, states Board Chairman of “Baltijas Elektro Sabiedrība”, Edgars Bergholcs. The plant in Tērvete is one of the biggest projects that the company is currently developing in this segment. The company is currently implementing 15 solar power plant projects for its customers worth 60 million euros.
E. Bergholcs adds that “considering the uncertainty of the situation over the longer run, solar power plants are currently one of the most promising investments in the development of companies. Many developers of these plants comprise two functions – first, ensure electricity for self-consumption, and second, develop a new sector of their business – production of electricity for sale. Currently every solar power plant developer is strengthening the country’s energy independence.”
In addition to the solar power plant a remote control system is being installed, which allows monitoring of the operation of the plant, a fence with video surveillance is being built, as well as an access road for maintenance of the plant and the field. A new practice for Latvia is using the territory of the solar power plant as a pasture for sheep, which means that the territory will serve not only for the production of electricity but also for animal husbandry.
Source: The “Dienas Bizness”