Fortum, Eesti Energia were top recipients of renewable energy support in August

Photo: Arvo Meeks / Lõuna-Eesti Postimees

Companies of the Finnish Fortum group and the Estonian Eesti Energia group received the biggest amount of renewable energy support here in August, getting almost half of the sum total of 4.48 million euros disbursed by the transmission system operator Elering during the month.

Companies of the Fortum group received 1.38 million euros and Eesti Energia AS and the state-owned energy group's wind generating facility Eesti Energia Aulepa Tuuleelektrijaam OU 1.02 million euros combined.

Elering paid out altogether 4.28 million euros in renewable energy subsidies and 200,558 euros in support for high efficiency cogeneration in August. In July generating companies were paid respectively 3.12 million and 312,146 euros, the transmission system operator said.

In the first eight months of 2013 Elering paid out a total of 29.18 million euros in renewable energy subsidies and 2.78 million euros in support for high efficiency cogeneration, 31.96 million euros in all. Companies of the Fortum group received 10.55 million euros of subsidies in the eight months, of which Anne Soojus AS was paid 5.15 million euros and Fortum Eesti AS 5.4 million euros.

Eesti Energia was paid 2.97 million euros in the eight months.

Renewable energy subsidies to wind farms owned by Nelja Energia totaled 727,049 euros in August, down from 974,029 euros in July. Subsidies for Nelja Energia in the eight months from January to August amounted to 6.68 million euros.

Tallinna Elektrijaam, operator of the Vao cogeneration plant outside the Estonian capital Tallinn, was paid subsidies totaling 801,516 euros in August compared to 509,677 euros in July. In the first eight months of 2013 the company's subsidies amounted to 5.83 million euros.

According to calculations by Elering, the renewable energy fee for consumers this year is 0.87 cents per kilowatt-hour, 10 percent less than in 2012. Through the renewable energy fee consumers finance the subsidy paid to producers of renewable energy and the fee is paid by all consumers in accordance with the volume of network service used by them, with Elering acting as the payment agency.