Background information

The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development has developed a support program for citizens to reduce the prices of energy resources and promote energy independence. Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 150 "Regulations of the Open Tender "Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Households – Support for the Use of Renewable Energy Resources" of Projects Financed by the Emission Quota Auction Instrument" is a regulatory act that regulates this program (effective from 9 March 2022).

Content of measure

The following activities are supported within the competition:

• transition from existing fossil energy resources (natural gas, coal, diesel) heating equipment to new renewable energy resources heating equipment (biomass pellet boilers, solar collectors, heat pumps);
• purchase of new renewable energy equipment for electricity production (solar panels, wind generators) (not taking into account the current heating type of the residential house);
• designing and creating a connection for a district heat supply system (not taking into account the current heating type of the residential house).

The maximum amount of support within the framework of the financial instrument

• for the purchase of a wood biomass boiler suitable for pellet fuel up to €3,400,
• for the purchase of a ground source heat pump – up to €13,000,
• and air source heat pump – up to €4,700,
• for the purchase of solar collectors – up to €1,700,
• for the design of the household connection to the district heating supply system and the creation of a heating unit – up to €5,100,
• for purchase of photovoltaic panels – up to €4,000,
• for wind turbines – up to €11,000.

The amount of support depends on equipment capacity as well. Support will be provided to residents who own a residential building or part of it. Amendments were approved on 14 July 2022, which expand the range of potential beneficiaries. Households of multi-apartment 1-5-story houses can receive support if the multi-apartment house is connected to the centralized heat supply system. The amendments provide that projects can also be implemented in houses of three or more apartments, in groups of residential premises of three or more apartments (row and semi-detached houses). Total amount of the available financing is €30 million.

Use of measure

Between March 2022 and June 2023 6,821 projects have been submitted for a total amount of €24.4 million.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement as case not in social partner domain	No involvement as case not in social partner domain
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

No involvement.

Views and reactions

No specific view to report.

Sources

• 21 September 2022: Support program for the use of renewable energy resources in households (www.varam.gov.lv)
• 21 September 2022: Regulations of the open competition "Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in households - support for the use of renewable energy resources" of the project financed by the emission allowance auction instrument (likumi.lv)