Ignitis Renewables to develop 107 MW Tume battery energy storage system in Latvia
Ignitis Renewables, an international green energy company, is expanding its battery energy storage portfolio. The company has made a final investment decision to develop Tume battery energy storage system (BESS) with a power capacity of 107 megawatts (MW) and a storage capacity of 215 megawatt-hours (MWh) next to the Tume solar farm, currently under construction in Tukums municipality.
The project marks another step in the expansion of Ignitis Group’s energy storage portfolio. The Group is currently developing three battery energy storage projects in Lithuania, located near operating wind farms in Kelmė and Mažeikiai regions and Kruonis Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Power Plant. Together, these projects will have a combined power capacity of 291 MW and a storage capacity of 584 MWh.
“Our region has the potential to lead in renewable energy generation and in the capacity to balance green production with system flexibility. While renewable energy is essential, its variability makes additional flexibility capacity critical for a stable power system. That is why we are actively developing energy storage projects in Lithuania, alongside the Tume project in Latvia. This is a key step toward a smarter and more resilient energy system in the Baltics,” says Frank Oomen, CEO of Ignitis Renewables.
The project will be integrated with Tume solar farm, one of the largest solar energy projects currently under development in Latvia. With an installed capacity of 174 MW, the solar farm will be capable of supplying electricity to up to 85,000 households annually.
The Tume BESS project will use the same connection and infrastructure to the power grid as the solar farm, store surplus electricity generated and supply it back to the grid when electricity demand increases, thus helping balance the energy system and strengthen the security of electricity supply.
Construction works are expected to begin in 2026, with the start of commercial operations estimated for 2028. The total investment in the project is approximately EUR 35 million.
Battery energy storage technology is becoming an increasingly important part of modern energy infrastructure. It can store electricity from the grid and renewables assets such as wind and solar farms, then release it when electricity demand is higher or generation is lower. By improving the balance between electricity generation and consumption, BESS helps reduce reliance on reserve fossil-fuel-fired power plants while increasing the reliability and resilience of the energy system.
By 2030, BESS capacity in Europe is expected to grow fivefold, underscoring the growing role of energy storage in the clean energy transition. The energy system of the future will be defined not only by generation from renewables, but also by energy system’s flexibility, reliability and resilience. Through its investments, Ignitis Renewables is contributing to this transformation by strengthening energy infrastructure and fostering a secure and green energy ecosystem.
