On Wednesday 13 April 2016, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy, Étienne Schneider, took stock of the efforts so far made by Luxembourg to reach national targets for 2020, involving 11% of renewable energies in final energy consumption.

The National Action Plan on Renewable Energy provides that 4% of this total would be produced in the country and 5% from the transportation sector. It has been planned that the remaining 2% be carried out in other EU countries through the use of cooperation mechanisms.

In 2014, Luxembourg's share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption was 4.5%, against 3.6% in 2013 and 3.1% in 2012. The country has doubled its national share of renewable energy since 2010.

At a presentation held on Thursday, three major projects were presented, enabling Luxembourg to further close the gap between the goal of 11% by 2020 through the development of renewable energy in the country in the fields of wind and biomass:

SOLER S.A.

Founded in 2001, SOLER S.A. is a joint venture between SEO and Enovos which anticipated a total of 13 new wind facilities by 2017 in the parks Housen-Pëtschent, Rulljen-Géisdref and Hengischt. It is also expected that 8 former wind turbines will be replaced by two facilities with a higher rate of return. The total investment will be €73.8 million for an annual reduction of 58,200 tonnes in CO2 emissions. Renewable electricity generation: 88.3 GWh

Kronospan

In Sanem, the Kronospan company operates a biomass cogeneration plant (untreated natural wood) for the combined production of power and heat. The investment totals €37 million for an annual reduction of 60,000 tonnes in C02 emissions. Renewable electricity generation: up to 52 GWh. Renewable heat production: 212 GWh.

LuxEnergie

Up until 2017, LuxEnergie will transform a part of the central natural gas cogeneration in Kirchberg into a biomass cogeneration plant in wood pellets which will allow for the substitution of around 8.2 million m3 of natural gas to a renewable fuel. The investment total is €20 million for an annual reduction of 20,000 tonnes in CO2 emissions. Renewable electricity generation: 22.4 GWh. Renewable heat production: 76 GWh.

"These three major projects alone will contribute 22% to the renewable energy target planned for the national territory," commented Étienne Schneider. "In this way, Luxembourg is on track to meet the goal of 11% renewable energy consumption of domestic energy in 2020. Thanks to cumulative investments of nearly €131 million as part of a public-private partnership for these three projects, we are contributing in parallel to economic development and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions."

"A heating network enables us to get biomass in cities and towns and therefore is an effective way to reach C02 emissions reduction targets," explained Paul Weis, Managing Director of LuxEnergie.

"Thanks to Soler's future projects, we will double wind energy production in Luxembourg by 2017," affirmed Paul Zeimet, managing director of Soler.

Peter Stadler, Managing Director of Kronospan Luxembourg, concluded: "The electric power generated by the Kronospan project, as well as the thermal energy produced, is equivalent to the consumption of around 20,000 households."

 


Photo by MECO (L-R): Roman Becker, LuxEnergie; Paul Weiss, managing director of LuxEnergie; Peter Stadler, Managing Director Kronospan Luxembourg; Stephen Schneider, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy; Tom Eischen, the Ministry of Economy; Paul Zeimet, Managing Director of Soler