Another order for battery trains for Škoda Group. Up to 16 units will be delivered to Latvia
Latvia is preparing for another significant step in the modernisation of its rail transport. Autotransporta direkcija (ATD) announces that Škoda Group has been awarded with the contract to supply up to 16 battery electric multiple units (BEMUs) for regional transport.
The value of the contract comprising of the base delivery of nine trains, an option for seven additional vehicles, spare parts and training is nearly EUR 160 million. The first vehicles are scheduled to be deployed in the first half of 2029. Following the successful launch of battery trains in the Czech Republic at the turn of 2024 and 2025 and the signing of a contract for up to 36 battery trains for Slovakia, this is another order for the Škoda Group for this type of vehicle.
The units will also be the first Škoda Group battery-powered vehicles designed for a 1,520 mm gauge. They represent the next evolution of the successful platform of single-deck regional trains developed for the Baltic markets. The project is financed by the state budget of Latvia and EU Cohesion Funds, which are supporting the development of modern zero-emission mobility in Latvia.
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Originally published on 11 Dec
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Marine Alutech’s order book is growing strongly. At the same time, we ensure and prepare for future project requirements.
The current projects employ more than 200 people at the main location in Teijo, in addition to our staff in Hanko, Turku and Germany. New hall spaces are now under construction, and more employees will come in 2026.
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Originally published on 23 Mar
The Latvian national airline airBaltic is starting its new direct route connecting Riga with Oulu, starting March 29. The new service will operate five times per week, further strengthening connectivity between Latvia and Finland, and giving Oulu a new contact point to international connections.
airBaltic will fly the new route from Oulu to Riga on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, departing from Oulu at 5:00 a.m. and arriving in Riga at 6:30 a.m. Flights from Riga to Oulu will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 11:20 p.m., arriving in Oulu at 1:30 a.m.
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Originally published on 20 Mar
South Korean defence industry company Hanwha Aerospace, which cooperates with several Estonian defence industry companies, officially joined the Estonian Defence and Aerospace Industry Association this week.
Hanwha Aerospace is one of the leading defence and aerospace manufacturers, with a broad portfolio spanning artillery systems, aircraft engines, armoured vehicles, and space technology. Their growing presence in the European defence market makes them a valuable addition to our network.
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Originally published on 19 Mar
Tilde has been selected to develop the project “AI Assistant for Data Discovery on the EO Baltic Platform.” The activity is financed by the European Space Agency and will be implemented by Tilde as the Prime Contractor in close cooperation with Baltic Satellite Service (BSS) as the subcontractor.
Tilde brings proven experience in building AI assistants for the space and Earth Observation sector. This new project builds on that experience and further strengthens the company’s role in applying language AI to complex scientific and geospatial systems.
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Originally published on 18 Mar
Enefit, the electricity business of Eesti Energia, is expanding its energy storage portfolio by building three new battery storage systems next to its wind farms in Lithuania. The new systems will have a combined capacity of 46 megawatts (MW) and 184 megawatt-hours (MWh). Once completed, Enefit’s storage portfolio will grow from the current 29 MW to 75 MW, strengthening the company’s position in the Baltic energy storage market.
“Energy storage is a key component of the modern energy system. Battery solutions help balance wind and solar generation, support grid stability, and mitigate high price peaks,” said Donatas Celešius, Member of the Management Board of Enefit and Head of Business Development. “Storage solutions also increase the value of our existing production assets and strengthen our integrated generation portfolio as a whole.”
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Originally published on 19 Mar
Great news for our international partners. Estonia will increase the Film Estonia cash rebate from 30% to 40%, strengthening the country’s competitiveness in the international film production market. “It’s official. Minister Heidy Purga has confirmed the final step of a long process: Film Estonia moves forward with a 40% cash rebate for film and TV production.
Regulations still need to be updated — and then, let’s roll!” stated Edith Sepp, head of the Estonian Film Institute.
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Originally published on 9 Mar
Sunly has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Respect Energy for the Rzezawa solar park in southern Poland. The agreement covers the sale of 100% of the electricity generated by the 60 MW photovoltaic installation.
The contract has been concluded in a “pay as potentially produced” structure. In addition to the electricity offtake, the cooperation includes providing balancing services with the installation. Respect Energy will act as the Balancing Services Provider (BSP), enabling the solar park to participate in the balancing market once the formal qualification process and technical integration are completed.
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Originally published on 18 Mar
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed its first pre-IPO advisory agreement to help a European growth company prepare for access to public capital markets. The support is provided through the InvestEU Advisory Hub and aims to strengthen the ability of innovative European companies to grow and remain in Europe as they scale.
The agreement supports Swedish biotechnology company Anocca, based in Södertälje, which develops next-generation T-cell immunotherapies for cancer. T-cell immunotherapy is a form of treatment that uses a patient’s own immune cells, engineered to recognise and attack cancer cells more effectively.
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Originally published on 18 Mar
Ship design and construction company “Latitude Construction”, working under the Latitude Yachts brand in the Port of Riga, will establish a new company “Latitude Naval Technologies” with the aim to develop modern offshore platforms for security and defense operations.
Thus, another company will join the innovative and military technology production facilities of the Port of Riga, developing a new direction in the Latvian shipbuilding industry, combining extensive experience in shipbuilding with the growing demand for modern maritime safety technologies. In the current conditions, such a production facility will not only contribute to the economic growth of Latvia but also boost the security of Latvia and its partners.
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Originally published on 18 Mar
Estonia is no longer just a land of humble startups, as its premier companies are scaling ambitions. This week, Tallinn-based mobility giant Bolt announced that it will partner with NVIDIA to develop an AI-powered platform for autonomous vehicles tailored specifically to European roads.
The collaboration pairs Bolt’s vast amounts of real-world driving data — collected daily across its ride-hailing, carsharing, micromobility and delivery operations in 50+ countries and 850+ cities — with NVIDIA’s latest autonomous driving stack.
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Originally published on 17 Mar