Nelja Energia announces startup of Latvian pellet, CHP facilities

Estonia-based Nelja Energia recently announced the opening of a wood chip-fueled cogeneration facility and 120,000 metric-ton per year pellet plant in Brocēni, Latvia. The cogeneration facility has a thermal capacity of 19.4 MW and an electrical capacity of 3.98 MW.

According to the company, test production of pellets began in early 2017, with first orders delivered earlier this year. Most of the plant’s pellet output is exported to the European market, while excess power generated at the cogeneration plant is sent to the Nordic and Baltic power market.

In a statement commenting on the plant openings, Martin Kruus, chairman of the management board of Nelja Energia, noted that the company is new to pellet production and combined-heat-and-power (CHP) production. “Nelja Energia is mainly known as the biggest producer of wind power in the Baltic states, but we can now announce our expansion, which is the first cogeneration plant powered by chipped wood and also our first pellet factory in Latvia. Cooperation with the partners and also the local team has been great and we are satisfied with the investment,” he said, thanking UPB, Hekotek, Inspecta and other partners for their cooperation on the project.

Fuel for the cogeneration plant is sourced from surplus bark and chipped wood from the pellet production process. “To be very efficient and eco-friendly the CHP has a flue-gas cleaner which provides an additional 4MW of heat,” said Toms Naburgs, head of 4 Energia SIA.