Inquiry regarding offshore wind farms (no. 722)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary sitting
Date: 2025-04-14 21:33
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 44
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 48m
AI Summaries: 44/44 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The representative agenda item number four addressed the development of offshore wind farms in Estonia, covering the topics of slamming and subsidies. The speakers were members of the Riigikogu (Parliament), Lauri Laats, Vladimir Arhipov, and Aleksei Jevgrafov, who presented inquiry number 722 regarding offshore wind farms on February 20, 2025, and requested responses to all considerations relating to subsidies and decisions. While the coalition and government emphasized the plans for both offshore and onshore wind farms, and the size of the state guarantee, it was critically highlighted that information regarding state subsidies could be made public, but electricity subsidy data remained classified. Minister of Energy and Environment Andres Sutt responded to the inquiry, and several observations related to the involvement of the third sector and communities were also presented.
Decisions Made 1
Following further discussion, no specific decisions were made; the session focused on answering questions, providing clarifications, and discussing potential financial and regulatory solutions. Therefore, a decision was made to continue considering the previous plan and the ongoing process of publishing additional data and explanatory notes.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker on this agenda item was Member of the Riigikogu 5VNfkRwGZMI (Lauri Laats). His presentations and questions demonstrated significant engagement and active participation in the discussion of the inquiry. His position can be assessed as "other," meaning a clear partisan position that isn't directly defined as belonging to any specific right-wing or left-wing bloc.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The Riigikogu will take up the fourth interpellation, submitted by Lauri Laats, Vladimir Archipov and Aleksei Yevgrafov, regarding offshore wind farms (No. 722), dated 20 February 2025.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats filed a parliamentary inquiry about offshore wind farms, asking whether the 2.6 billion euro subsidy will continue, whether the calculations and analyses exist and have been published, and whether the decisions were made on political will or on the basis of evidence, and he asks the new minister to explain the plans.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller asked that the Minister of Energy and the Environment, Andres Sutt, respond to the inquiry.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
In his presentation, Andres Sutt stated that the Climate Ministry's calculations have been published in the explanatory memorandum and in the supplementary materials of the draft amendment to the Energy Economy Act, and the scenarios produced with the 2022 Balmorel model show a decline in the market price with the addition of wind energy, which means that by 2030, in order to meet the renewable electricity target, Estonia will need approximately 2000 MW of new onshore wind capacity, i.e., about 400 new turbines. At the same time, no rights have been granted to build wind farms, and the ministers have not considered resigning.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The deputy chair, Arvo Aller, thanks and notes that the inquiry was directed at the previous minister and that questions may have arisen from it, and asks Helle-Moonika Helme to take the floor.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helme claims that the energy plan is prohibitively expensive and that diversification does not enrich anyone, and he accuses the Reform Party of stealing 2.8 billion euros from the people’s money for the benefit of wind-power magnates; the calculations have failed, and the money is moving mainly to Europe, especially Germany, to their advantage, not to Estonia.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This is a short invitation to act and to take on responsibility — your time has come.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme claims that onshore wind does not meet Estonia's needs, and asks to whom and for what purpose this wasteful project is being carried out at all.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
He thanks.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
Energy is expensive, and a diverse energy mix is certainly cheaper than relying solely on imports, said Andres Sutt, the Minister of Energy and Environment, and he mentioned the price of shale energy and the restrictions on its market access.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
They want to give the minister the opportunity to respond.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
Energy and Environment Minister Andres Sutt said that to lower electricity prices, more local production capacity is needed, mainly onshore wind, and forecasts must be professional; ministry officials are competent, and the aim is that the electricity price will not be the main topic of discussion for people in the evenings.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-chairman Arvo Aller asked Lauri Laatsi to come onto the stage.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats says that although diverse energy sources can make electricity cheaper, the existing grid must be used to the maximum up to about 3000 MW and continual grid expansion should be avoided, because in the long run this entails maintenance and depreciation costs, and the worldview of the green transition does not permit taking it into account with a farmer’s pragmatism.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
Energy and Environment Minister Andres Sutt stressed that grid development and quality are crucial for bringing new production capacity to the market, because the grid, originally designed for eastern production, needs adjustments, and even the addition of very small capacities creates a large grid connection fee, which is addressed by drafts 555 and 556, because this is needed for security of supply and affordable electricity prices.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid recommends organizing, for the first time in 20 years, a referendum on the erection of offshore wind farms, and granting veto rights to the municipalities along the coast of Saaremaa and the Gulf of Riga, because if the locals do not like changes to their home environment, the wind farm should not be built.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks Varro Vooglaid to take the floor.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
There is currently no agreed support mechanism for offshore wind farms; before that, it is necessary to examine the opportunities arising from the clean industry agreement and suitable financial instruments, and then hold an open dialogue between communities, developers, local governments, and the state, because cooperation is important, and the lack of permits is one of the reasons illustrated by the Saarde Municipality example.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The speech focused on the question of whether to say yes about the referendum and about offshore wind farms.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
Unfortunately, the given text is only an excerpt, and to compile an exact summary the entire speech is required.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The deputy chairman Arvo Aller calls on the other party to clarify and emphasizes the need to specify.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
The existing legal framework is sufficient for establishing offshore wind farms; there is no need to arrange anything else.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chair thanks and asks to yield the floor to Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
This speech criticizes the decisions made behind closed doors by the leaders of three parties and the lack of discussion in the Riigikogu on the topic of the energy sector development plan, and asks how appropriate it is for government ministers to make such decisions.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
Minister Sutt said that the support for offshore wind farms has received state aid approval, but questions surrounding the scheme make it unattractive at this moment, and it is right to wait until the use of financial instruments and a clean industry deal open up broader possibilities, and we will decide when to move something forward, because these are long-term projects and new opportunities will arise along the way.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The speech contained only a plea to invite Anti Poolametsa.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets highlighted a concern that very small firms could participate in the development of Saare Windi's large offshore wind farms, whose annual reports show only slim profits (for example, OÜ Kirsimäe €1655, OÜ Gottlieb €7200), and asked how these firms are trusted and how they are matched to the tenders.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
Energy and Environment Minister Andres Sutt said that billions in subsidies have not been discussed, and seven companies that have earned the right to conduct research through a competitive process are clean and transparent, and we will see who and when will reach a good development, including Eesti Energia and Ignitis.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi asks Evelin Poolametsa to come onto the stage.
Evelin Poolamets
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Evelin Poolamets said that there are no laws that would assess the vibration, shadow flicker, infrasound, and noise of wind farms, and asked what the government's plans are for advancing planning processes, and whether larger subsidies or farm rents are expected.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
Andres Sutt said that measurements and studies have been carried out regarding the safety of wind energy, and if necessary they will be supplemented, emphasizing the importance of the benefits to local residents through fair handling of local issues and through cooperation, which is illustrated by the Saarde Parish example and the fixed-price electricity contracts offered by developers.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi thanked and announced that there are no more questions, opens negotiations and asks Lauri Laats to take the floor.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
In the presentation, the high costs of the green policy and fluctuations in electricity prices are criticized, the government's confusion and ministerial changes are emphasized, and it is asked whether the 2030/2035 targets are realistic, while at the same time pointing to the large costs of grid investments.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman, Toomas Kivimägi, asked to add three more minutes.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats believes that the approximate €150 per megawatt-hour price by 2030 shown in ENMAK is not competitive, and a price target suitable for consumers and the economy must be set, diversify the energy mix (wind, solar, oil shale, gas) and limit the excessive expansion of the grid system, so that the taxpayer does not have to cover all costs and investments would bring benefits to the economy.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi thanks everyone and asks Anti Poolametsa.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets criticizes the state-subsidy-based economy and the funding of wind energy, pointing to the memory of the 1980 Planning Committee as a sleight-of-hand disappearance of money, and calls the whole process a traveling circus where democracy becomes one-sided.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The deputy chairman, Toomas Kivimägi, asks that the speech last for three more minutes.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets claims that funding for the green transition is taxpayers' money wasted, and without subsidies the project is lifeless, the benefit stays with shelf companies and small firms, and in the end it will create Europe’s most expensive electricity price.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi expresses his very great gratitude to the listeners.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The speech says that the people started a citizens' initiative, and now the people rise up and whistle out this fantastical five-year plan.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanked the participants, announced that the members of the Riigikogu no longer had any requests to speak, and said that the negotiations would be concluded by Minister Andres Sutt.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
Energy and Environment Minister Andres Sutt emphasized that the discussion on renewable energy must be viewed in the context of regional demand and interconnections (including Germany), because there is an energy deficit in the Baltic Sea region and, therefore, it makes sense to invest in new production capacity; Estonia's interest is that the interconnections operate in both directions and that it should be possible to export and import, and the final price of electricity includes the market price, grid charges, frequency reserve and other costs, and without investments the price will rise, and state funds are auditable and must not give the impression that they are going into a black hole.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi closes the negotiations, and with that the proceedings of the fourth agenda item have been completed.