- Estonia launched the Baltic States’ largest solar park, Kirikmäe, with a 77.53 MW capacity to power 35,000 households.
- Evecon and Mirova collaborated on the project, adding over 100 MW of new solar capacity to Estonia’s grid in one week.
- Estonia aims to meet 100% of its electricity needs with renewable energy by 2030, with solar as a key driver.
Estonia has launched the largest solar park in the Baltic States, marking a significant milestone in its renewable energy efforts. The Kirikmäe solar park in Pärnu County generates 77.53 MW of power and supplies electricity to 35,000 households annually.
Estonian energy company Evecon and French asset manager Mirova collaborated to create this project. In December 2022, they established the Baltic Renewable Energy Platform (BREP) to expand Estonia’s solar capacity by over 100 MW.
Spanning 110 hectares, Kirikmäe now stands as Estonia’s largest solar facility, doubling the output of the previous record holder. The project took only six months to complete. Wiso Engineering supervised construction, with up to 250 workers at peak times.
“The execution speed shows Estonia’s ability to rapidly expand its renewable energy infrastructure,” said Evecon CEO Karl Kull.
Kirikmäe solar park is part of Estonia’s broader strategy to boost renewable energy production. With the recent addition of the Imavere and Lohu Mets solar parks, the country added more than 100 MW of solar capacity to the grid weekly. This increase accounts for 10% of Estonia’s total solar energy capacity.
Mirova invested in the project through its energy transition funds. Raphaël Lance, head of Mirova’s Energy Transition Funds, highlighted the park’s significance for the region. “We contribute to decarbonisation and energy independence in the Baltic States,” Lance stated.
Evecon has also ensured that the local community benefits from the project. The company established a revenue-sharing agreement with the municipality of Lääneranna, allocating 0.6% of the park’s annual revenue to the area. Although Estonian law doesn’t require this, the initiative reflects Evecon’s commitment to supporting local communities.
Estonia aims to meet 100% of its electricity needs with renewable % by 2030. The country already ranks sixth in the European Union for solar capacity per capita. Estonian Climate Minister Yoko Alender praised the Kirikmäe project, noting that solar energy offers the most cost-effective path to achieving Estonia’s ambitious energy goals.
Kirikmäe’s infrastructure includes 117,600 solar panels from Canadian Solar, each producing 655-665 W of power. Close cooperation between developers, local authorities, and investors facilitated the rapid completion of the park.
With the Kirikmäe project, Estonia demonstrates its strong commitment to renewable energy development. As the country expands its solar capacity, it moves closer to achieving its long-term sustainability goals, setting an example for the Baltic region.