A stage finish of EV race Ignitis ON: Get to know Lithuania! – in Kražiai

The tenth iteration of the EV race Ignitis ON: Get to know Lithuania! this year turned up in Kražiai. People had the opportunity to watch a stage finish, talk with participants and inspect the cars. The event featured a unique educational platform of an international green energy company, Ignitis Renewables, where visitors could take a virtual tour inside a wind turbine.

Last Friday afternoon, more than 50 different EVs flooded the courtyard of M.K. Sarbievijus Cultural Centre in Kražiai. A stage finish of the EV race Ignitis ON: Get to know Lithuania! was planned in Kražiai. For the first time, a hydrogen-powered vehicle took part in the race, and drivers were able to compete in a driving efficiency class.

Each year, when planning the race route, the organisers choose the most interesting places in Lithuania to visit. Kražiai, which is in Kelmė district, is not an exception. Founded more than 700 years ago, it is one of the oldest cities in Lithuania with rich history. Additionally, Kelmė district is on the precipice of becoming a green energy hub. Here, Ignitis Renewables is currently constructing the largest wind farm in the Baltics.

“We are implementing one of the most important projects for national energy independence in Kelmė district. Its success depends on our efforts as well as on the good will of the people living nearby. That’s why we find it very important to build connections with local communities, strengthen them, help take care of the land and be a good neighbour to each other,” said Emilija Musteikytė, Community Projects Coordinator at Ignitis Renewables, after visiting the event.

A unique educational platform of Ignitis Renewables was brought to the event. It is designed to educate the public on the topic of renewable energy. The attendees learned about the onshore and offshore wind as well as solar power generation. A virtual tour inside a wind turbine received a very notable interest.

The company is developing onshore and offshore wind farms, solar projects as well as battery and power-to-x (P2X) technologies. At the moment, the company is managing 4 wind farms in Lithuania, in Jurbarkas, Kretinga, Tauragė and Mažeikiai districts.

44 wind turbines will be installed at the wind farm in Kelmė district. The total potential capacity of the wind farm is 300 megawatts (MW), and it will generate enough electricity to power 250 thousand households in Lithuania, an area similar in size to Kaunas county. All wind turbines will be erected this year, and the wind farm's COD is expected in 2025.

The EV race Ignitis ON: Get to know Lithuania! this year started in Vilnius, went along a road called ‘Biržinka’, tracked to AB “Kelių priežiūrą”, Panevėžys unit, then Kražiai and finished at Palanga.