As part of its business diversification, the Latvian peat extraction and processing company SIA “Laflora” has established a subsidiary, SIA “Laflora Energy”, with the aim of reducing the company’s future environmental impact and contributing to energy independence in Latvia by building the “Laflora” onshore wind farm in the Kaigu peat bog. A 140 m tall meteorological measurement mast has also been installed to plan the wind farm’s production productivity. With a capacity of 90 MW, the “Laflora” wind farm will be able to supply at least 5% of Latvia's total annual electricity consumption and has already been recognised as a project of national importance for ensuring Latvia's energy independence.
The establishment of the new company SIA “Laflora Energy” will allow for the separation of green energy production—the development of the high-capacity wind farm and a future solar energy park planned for the same site—from the core business activities of “Laflora” and other development plans, such as the creation of a Green Industrial Zone. The parent company, SIA “Laflora”, owns 100% of the shares in SIA “Laflora Energy”.
Efforts are currently underway to secure funding for the construction of the wind farm, including via the Three Seas Initiative, an economic cooperation platform proposed by the presidents of the region's countries. Investments in the development of the wind farm will reach more than 120 million euros, and as the Green Industrial Zone is further developed as a prerequisite for the digital and technological leap of the Zemgale region, the volume of investment will rise to up to 200 million euros. Electricity production—300,000 MWh per year—is planned to commence by 2025.
A significant practical step in the development of the wind farm has also been taken: a 140-metre-tall meteorological measurement mast has been installed in the Kaigu peat bog, which will allow for the precise determination of the wind farm’s production productivity. By obtaining meteorological data on wind direction and speed, air temperature, and humidity at various heights at one-second intervals over a 12-month period, it is possible to accurately plan the wind farm's output profile—i.e., the capacity at which the wind farm will operate at different times of the day and throughout each season to achieve the highest possible volume of energy generation, or productivity. This data is also required for the procurement of wind turbines. The installation of the meteorological mast can be viewed in a short film: https://youtu.be/Ur2PlQZNt_4
“The ‘Laflora’ wind farm on decommissioned peat extraction fields will allow for the recultivation of a large area of the bog; it will act as an offset for the emissions generated during the ‘Laflora’ peat extraction and processing process, and will allow not only the company itself to become climate-neutral, but also to develop a Green Industrial Zone in the Kaigu bog, where other companies in the Zemgale region will also be able to produce in a climate-neutral way by using wind energy. Most importantly, the electricity produced by the wind farm will help Latvia to move away from using Russian natural gas for electricity generation more quickly and achieve national energy independence, which should currently be a national priority using all possible local resources. I call for bureaucratic obstacles to the faster progress of this project to be removed, not just in word, but in deed, so that we can begin construction of the wind farm as soon as possible,” says Uldis Ameriks, Chairman of the Board of SIA “Laflora”.
The technical design of the wind farm is currently underway to obtain a building permit, develop the construction project, and begin construction. The environmental impact assessment for the “Laflora” wind farm has already been completed and approved, and permission for the development of the wind farm has been received from the Jelgava City and Jelgava Municipality councils.
As previously reported, “Laflora’s” climate neutrality concept involves using the green energy produced by the wind farm to offset emissions generated in the existing peat extraction and processing process, thus enabling the continuation and development of sustainable peat extraction and peat product manufacturing in the future, while preserving the existing 290 jobs. Additionally, the electricity generated by the wind farm will allow for the creation of a Green Industrial Zone of regional importance to Zemgale. Plans for this zone include the development of greenhouse complexes for growing vegetables and forest seedlings, and attracting circular economy businesses and energy-intensive manufacturing plants, allowing them to produce in a climate-neutral manner while simultaneously ensuring the recultivation of former peat extraction fields and creating at least 120 new, sustainable jobs.