The possibility of using renewable energy sources (RES) in Lithuania is investigated. Most efforts in Lithuania were aimed at developing biomass (wood chips, wood waste, straw, biogas) and small hydro projects and their subsequent implementation. At present the total installed capacity of wood fuelled boilers reached above 420 MW No serious obstacles can be seen for the extension of wood fuel usage. Prices of fuel market depend on local conditions, as well as on the number of fuel consumers, capacity of installed wood burning boilers, etc. Wood briquettes and pellets have been started to use in Lithuania since 1994 and 1999 respectively. There are about 16 organizations in Lithuania producing this kind of wood fuel. Annually in Lithuanian agriculture there comprises about 3.5-4.0 mln tons of straw. Major part of it is consumed for feeding animals, litter and olericulture. Only about 10-12% from the total amount of straw can be used for energy production. This would comprise about 130 ktne. The first boiler-houses, using straw fuel, were constructed in 1996. Later the number of these boiler-houses increased, therefore, for the moment the total installed capacity of straw firing boilers comprises about 7 MW. Sources of biogas production are comprised of waste water cleaning equipments' sludge, animals and birds' nuck and food companies' organic waste. For the moment biogas is produced in Kaunas and Utena towns waste water cleaning plants and demo biogas power plants in "Lekeciai" agriculture company. For the moment in Rokiskis cheese plant there is an operating biogas power plant with 2x900 m(3) digesters. For the moment total volume of operating digesters comprises about 24000 m(3), and annual production comprises about 6.3 mln m(3) of biogas per year, and this corresponds to 3.4 ktne. It is forecasted that in year 2010 total volume of bioreactors will increase up to 35000 m(3), while in year 2020 it will comprise 50000 m(3). Biofuels used for transport needs is comprised of bioethanol and biodiesel. Bioethanol is produced out of sugar,and starch materials. Rape-oil is used for biodiesel production. Biodiesel, as well as bioethanol, is mainly used in nixture with fuel, produced from oil. In Lithuania bioethanol is produced in Silute joint stock company "Biofuure", while biodiesel in Mazeikiai enterprise "Rapsoila". Following the requirements of EU, 7.2 thous tons of bioethanol and about 13.8 thousons of biodiesel or 2% of total amount of consumed fuel per year are to be produced. Up to year 2010 such fuel should comprise not less than 5.75% of all fuel consumed in the country. Lithuania has not good conditions for wind energy, because there is low wind speed. Wind speed is 5 -5.5 m/s at 10 m height in the coast zone. In the middle of Lithuania wind speed is 3.5 or 4 m/s. Measurement result, shows, that the chosen method of approximating wind observation results with use of Weibul's distributior functions is correct for various regions of Lithuania. Investigation shows that the Klaipeda region is the most. suitable one for construction of wind turbines, particularly its 10 km wide coastal strip. It is established, that at greatest wind velocity west direction prevails and at lowest wind velocity east direction prevails that is winds blow from continent side. Hence, to use wind energy in most efficient may it is expedient to build wind power plants as near sea as possible, even in the sea if possible. However, till 2010 in Lithuania there will be erected 180 MW capacities of wind turbines. The threshold, which can't be passed without capital reconstruction of electricity, network, is 500 MW capacities of wind turbines. The annual production will be about 0.9 TWh. Conventional solar thermal systems can be used more effectively for domestic hot water and space heating in Lithuania. It may be used in district and passive heating systems, production photovoltaic electricity and for the reduction of electricity for lighting.
