📋 Tender Overview
On November 12-15, 2024, Deputy Minister of Energy Daiva Garbaliauskait? participated in the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. During COP29, events dedicated to energy initiatives discussed the important role of the energy sector in accelerating the implementation of the goals of the Paris Agreement to combat climate change through energy measures. In 2015, under the Paris Agreement, the countries of the world agreed to make collective efforts to limit global warming and for countries to take steps to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases into the environment.
Lithuania, implementing the European Green Course strategy adopted by the European Union, aims to reorganize the economy and energy in such a way that the impact of these areas on the climate becomes neutral by 2050. The most important goals of the green course are to abandon fossil fuels in energy systems, develop renewable energy resources and increase energy efficiency.
The efforts of the international community in developing initiatives and promoting investments in order to triple the installed energy capacities of renewable resources and double energy efficiency measures were discussed at the meetings of the ministers of various countries responsible for the energy field, international organizations in the field of energy, and financial institutions.
The country presiding over COP29 called on the world community to accelerate the efforts of the green transformation of the energy sector and promote investments in the development of green energy production zones and cross-border green energy transmission corridors, increasing global energy storage capacity and expanding and modernizing the infrastructure of electricity networks, increasing the scale of hydrogen production.
"It is clear that the effects of climate change have negative effects in various areas, from the economy to the environment to public health. To that end, the United Nations Climate Change Conference annually convenes the leaders of the world's politics, industry, non-governmental organizations, and the scientific community to assess progress and agree on further steps to implement the goals of the climate agreement through a focused collective effort. Although every region of the world has its own characteristics, we can be happy that during events and meetings, Lithuania is mentioned as an example of good practice in increasing the energy capacity of renewable resources, speeding up the process of issuing permits for the development of renewable energy and ensuring energy security", says D. Garbaliauskait?.
s.m. in June The Seimas adopted the updated National Energy Independence Strategy, which sets out the goal of Lithuania becoming a completely climate-neutral country by 2050. The strategy responds to two main goals - energy security, protection and development of electricity networks, and decarbonization and the green course.
"Lithuania is distinguished from other countries by the rapid development of its renewable energy capacity. The total solar and wind power in Lithuania has increased more than four times since 2020. Local electricity generation is also growing rapidly - electricity production has increased from 30 to almost 70 percent in the last few years," the vice-minister noted.
At the invitation of the non-governmental organization ClimateAction, D. Garbaliauskait? participated in the COP29 Innovation Zone discussion on international partnerships for accelerating the development of hydrogen in Europe. In a discussion with Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, head of the Hydrogen Europe organization, and Gianpiero Nacci, director of Sustainable Business and Infrastructure of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Vice-Minister discussed how cross-sectoral and interregional cooperation helps to prepare and increase the number of projects and financing needed to turn the potential of hydrogen transformation into reality. D. Garbaliauskait? also presented Lithuania's vision in the field of green hydrogen ecosystem and infrastructure and development of renewable resources, emphasizing the importance of an active national policy and support with public and private funds. He emphasized the importance of close international cooperation and the implementation of joint projects in order to increase the security of hydrogen supply in the region and to coordinate transmission, storage, import and export activities.
Presenting the possibilities of the Baltic region and the potential of renewable energy resources for the production of green hydrogen and its derivative products, such as synthetic fuel, synthetic methane, ammonia, methanol, and responding to the initiative presented at COP29 on the development of green energy zones and green energy corridors, the Vice Minister emphasized the contribution of the Baltic region developing green energy corridors. "The international six-state "Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor" project, which is important for the entire Baltic Sea region and aims to connect green energy production regions in Northern Europe with the main consumption centers in Central Europe, as shown by a preliminary feasibility study, could be one of the first operational cross-border hydrogen projects In Europe, probably around 2030," she said.
D. Garbaliauskait? also participated in a high-level informal meeting with the officials responsible for the energy sector of the European Commission and heads of European industrial companies and associations, with whom she discussed the role of European industry in accelerating the transition to clean energy and strengthening the competitiveness of European industrial companies.
"The transition to clean energy is a strategic way to increase the sustainable competitiveness of the industry, prioritizing local renewable energy resources. It is an opportunity to reduce dependence on energy imports and at the same time promote energy security.
