Finland’s clean energy and bioeconomy solutions presented to visitors from Brussels

On 18–19 September Finland will present new bioeconomy and clean energy solutions to a group of visitors coming from Brussels, with representatives from the Parliament, Commission and the Members States. The visit is organised by the Permanent Representation of Finland to the EU in Brussels together with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

During the Bioeconomy – Clean Energy Package Trip to Finland the visitors will learn about innovations in the sector and new energy production technologies in Lappeenranta, Porvoo and Järvenpää. Visits will be made to key enterprises that will present new practical bioeconomy solutions, sustainable forestry, and the best technology innovations and business operations in the sectors.

The visit will start on Monday morning 18 September by a meeting with Minister of Housing, Energy and the Environment Kimmo Tiilikainen in Helsinki. On the agenda of the breakfast meeting are topical issues in the energy sector in light of the Clean Energy Package being negotiated in the EU just before the Informal Energy Council in Tallinn on 19-20 September.

Later in the morning the visitors will head to Lappeenranta, where Professor Antti Asikainen from the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) will tell about Finnish sustainable forestry. After lunch there is a visit to UPM Kaukas mill, the most diverse industrial mill complex in the world that uses renewable raw material to manufacture pulp, printing paper, sawn goods and biofuel. Side stream of production are put to use resource-efficiently. A significant share of the energy used is produced by the mill itself.

On Tuesday 19 September the visitors will be taken to the Old Town of Porvoo, where the Finnish Forest Industries Federation will present new solutions offered by Finland’s forest-based bioeconomy. After that the visit will continue at Neste Kilpilahti refinery, one of the most diverse refineries in Europe, where the focus of the production is on clean, high-quality transport biofuels. It is also the world’s largest producer of biodiesel from renewable raw materials. 

On the afternoon agenda there is a visit to Fortum CHP plant in Järvenpää. The highly energy-efficient plant for combined electricity and heat production uses forestry side-streams, sawdust and bark, and horse manure as its raw material. Fortum also has a project in Järvenpää to develop batteries for the storage of electricity.

The Twitter IDs for the visit are #BioexcuFi, #cleanenergy and #bioeconomy

Inquiries:

Katja Tuokko, Senior Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 50 465 5533

Minna Kivimäki, Coreper I Representative, Permanent Representation of Finland to the EU, tel. +32 2 287 8624

Jenni Hakala, Communications Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 50 386 9942