“As the population and their living standards grow, global energy demand also continues to grow. Although the annual demand for energy growth seems less dramatic, at only 1–2%, it is undoubtedly dramatic in the long period and will lead to irreversible climate change,” writes the academician Valdis Kampars in his article Climate Neutral Renewable Eenergy Technologies in the chapter “Novelties in power industry” of the LAS Yearbook 2022. The most suitable solutions for future energy sources in Latvia are analysed in the articles of the chapter.

“Riga Technical University (RTU) is an active developer of energy policy and new technological solutions for the implementation of this policy. At least three RTU Research Platforms have a direct connection to the problem: Energy and Environment, Transport and Materials, Processes and Technologies. The Institute of Applied Chemistry has also been involved in the development of new technologies of climate neutral economy.” [Valdis Kampars. Climate Neutral Renewable Eenergy Technologies]

“The total area of peat bogs is estimated at approximately 643 thousand ha, i.e. around 9.8% of the size of the country – 208 400 ha in Vidzeme, 117 600 ha in Kurzeme, 95 800 ha in Zemgale, and 221 500 ha in Latgale. Of these, only a part can be exploited to extract peat in commercially viable quantities. Industrial processes require peat to be accessible over a certain extraction of a certain minimum area and volume of peat contained therein. The industrial operations require an area of at least 100 ha with a mean layer thickness of 2.5 m containing approximately 175 kg of dry peat per cubic metre. The total area of swamps in Latvia that may be thus exploited was around 350 thousand ha in Latvia.” [Uldis Ameriks, Igors Graurs. Peatlands and Peat – Marsh Management: Myths and Solutions]