Analysis of the renewable energy promotion in Lithuania in compliance with the European Union strategy and policy

The article outlines the analysis of the renewable energy sources (RES) promotion in Lithuania in compliance with the European Union (EU) strategy and policy. Energy consumption from RES in 2005, progress in 2011 and targets for 2020 years for Lithuania and the EU-27 countries are compared. Lithuanian targets of RES shares are the following: total final energy consumption – 23%, 10% – in transport, 20% – in electricity consumption, and 60% – in district heating. The overview of available RES support instruments for electricity, heat and cooling, and transport in Lithuania and EU countries is carried out. Lithuanian RES policy, strategic directions, objectives and tasks are discussed. The recent tendencies of energy use in Lithuania are revealed. The distribution of gross inland and renewable fuel and energy consumption for the period 2005–2011 is shown. Expected gross final energy consumption for heating and cooling, electricity and transport sectors, and RES contribution to each sector of the final energy consumption up to 2020 are foreseen. A feed-in tariff system in Lithuania, the measures for power and heat generation, and the support schemes to promote the use of energy from RES in transport are described. The measures taken to ensure availability of necessary funding to achieve the Lithuanian targets for the share of RES are shown.