Latvia’s industrial energy efficiency policy imposes the implementation of mandatory energy audits and energy management systems in large industrial enterprises and large industrial electricity consumers to improve industrial competitiveness, to move towards a carbon-neutral economy and to increase the security of supply. Companies affected by this energy efficiency policy are obliged to report to the national energy efficiency monitoring system on energy efficiency measures indicated in energy audits or energy management systems with the highest savings or economical potential. The purpose of this study was to assess the initial outcomes of the first industrial energy efficiency program in Latvia, using data from the national energy efficiency monitoring system, including an analysis of individual energy audit reports, and benchmarking it with findings from a similar program, thereby revealing untapped energy efficiency and CO₂ emission reduction potential. Although the national monitoring system made it possible to ascertain results of the energy efficiency program, the statistical analysis of the data did not allow for a robust conclusion on the technical or economic industrial energy efficiency potential. This study suggests that Latvia’s energy efficient policy should continue its course in implementation and provides recommendations for improvements on the national energy efficiency monitoring system.

The study analyses factors that determine industrial energy efficiency. Composite index methodology was applied to evaluate energy utilization efficiency levels across different industrial sub-sectors. In total 12 indicators were incorporated in 3 main dimensions – economic, technical, and environmental. The first results for dimension sub-indices of the 18 main manufacturing sub-sectors in Latvia were presented and discussed. The findings of the study indicated that sector-specific disparities exist that significantly impact the energy efficiency performance of each industrial sub-sector.

Reliable heat and power supply are among the basic household needs nowadays. It is especially topical in rural or distant locations that may be cut off from the energy grid due to extreme weather or other events. Nonetheless, the sustainability of our power production systems has to be considered to sustain our planet’s long-term abilities to provide energy resources and a viable environment. Renewable energy resources must be prioritized in rural and remote areas, simultaneously strengthening distributed production ability and self-sufficiency. In this context, the use of the Stirling engine for heat to power generation in households, on the scale of small communities, and by using only renewable resources is becoming increasingly topical. Therefore, this research aims to identify the current state-of-the-art for Stirling engine applications using biomass as a renewable energy source, in the context of sustainability and energy security. The paper summarizes the current research tendencies at the household level in the use of biomass-based Stirling engines for renewable heat and power generation in decentralized energy systems. The methodology applied is a structured literature review and content analysis. The research results corroborate the progress towards the use of renewable resources and towards increased energy efficiency because the keyword and overlay analysis showed more frequent publishing in these areas. The content analysis on two more specific sub-directions of interest, i.e., biomass-fuelled Stirling engine use in households and Stirling engine implications on energy security, showed that though research activity in these directions has increased lately, more profound research is needed, especially on aspects of energy security and independence. The content analysis revealed a lack of in-depth analysis on the effects of Stirling engine use on energy security or energy independence, which is suggested as a topical subject for future research.