174 MW Tume solar farm in Latvia reaches full commercial operations

The 174-megawatt (MW) Tume solar farm, developed by Ignitis Renewables, an international green energy company, has achieved commercial operations. Located in Tukums municipality in Latvia, the project is one of the largest solar farms in the Baltics and will contribute to increasing local renewable electricity generation, strengthening regional energy security and supporting the energy transition in the Baltics.

“The commercial operations of the Tume solar farm mark another important milestone in the implementation of our green capacities portfolio. The project strengthens local renewable electricity generation in Latvia, enhances regional energy security and supports the Baltic energy transition. By consistently delivering large-scale renewable energy projects, we are executing our strategy and helping reshape the Baltic energy market into a greener, more secure, competitive and energy-abundant system that supports the region's decarbonisation ambitions,” says Frank Oomen, CEO at Ignitis Renewables.

Developed across 302 hectares, the solar farm comprises more than 282 thousand solar panels and is expected to generate enough renewable electricity annually to meet the electricity demand of around 85 thousand households. It is the first Ignitis Renewables project to use tracker technology, which follows the sun's movement throughout the day and increases electricity generation efficiency. Tume solar farm is also the company's first renewable energy project to be primarily maintained by Ignitis Renewables' specialists.

“This is an important step as we continue strengthening our in-house operations and maintenance capabilities. Expanding expertise within our team enables us to manage renewable energy assets more effectively, maintain high standards and secure strong long-term performance,” states F. Oomen. The transition marks another milestone in the development of Ignitis Renewables' operations and maintenance capabilities as the company continues to scale its renewable energy portfolio across the region.

To further enhance the project's efficiency and flexibility, Ignitis Renewables is also developing the 107 MW / 215 megawatt-hour (MWh) Tume battery energy storage system (BESS), which is currently under construction and will be integrated with the solar farm. Once operational, the BESS will help optimise renewable energy generation and support the integration of larger volumes of renewable electricity into the power system.

Tume solar farm is the third Ignitis Renewables solar project in Latvia and an important addition to the company's growing renewable energy portfolio across the Baltics and Poland. The project forms part of a broader effort to expand local generation capacity, strengthen energy independence and create the foundation for a more competitive and resilient regional energy market.