Solar thermal policy in
Finland
General
The objective of the
Finnish National Climate and Energy Strategy (2005) is that consumption
of renewable energy should grow by at least one-fourth by the year 2015
and by at least 40% by 2025 such that renewable energy accounts for
almost one-third of primary energy by 2025. The use of forestry chips,
energy crop-derived biomass, biogas and smallscale wood facilities
should increase by approximately 65% by 2015 and by about 80% by 2025
as compared to 2003. In 2010, renewable electricity should account for
31.5% of total Finnish power consumption. Biofuels should account for
5.75% of road transport fuels in 2010.
Taxation of fossil fuels is in place as of 1990. The fuels have a tax
which is based on the carbon content. In the beginning of 2008, levels
of tax have been increased slightly. Fossil Fuels used for electricity
generation are not taxed, but an electricity tax is imposed on the
consumption of electricity. In CHP, fuels used for heat generation are
calculated by the amount of heat produced. Tax rates differ for
industry and for private consumers.
According to the Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of
the Council on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable
sources the target for the share of energy from renewable sources in
gross final consumption of energy in the year 2020 for Finland is 38%
(in the year 2005 the share was 28.5%). The Directive has a mandatory
10 % target for transport to be achieved by all Member States, which
refers to renewable sources as a whole, not biofuels alone.
Renewable energy projections according to the National Renewable Energy Action Plan for Finland
The
National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP) for Finland was submitted
in July 2010. The target according to Annex I of Directive 2009/28/EC
is 38% for the year 2020 and the projected NREAP share in that year
exactly matches the target. According to the projection, the most
important contribution in the year 2020 is expected from biomass
(renewable heating and cooling) (6610 ktoe, 62% of all renewable
energy). Second important contribution is expected from hydropower
(14.4 TWh or 1239 ktoe, 12% of all renewable energy). The third largest
contribution is from biomass (renewable electricity) (12.9 TWh or 1110
ktoe, 10% of all renewable energy). Wind power contributes with 2.5 GW
(6.1 TWh). For solar photovoltaic the 2020 contribution is projected to
be 10 MW. For solar thermal the 2020 contribution is projected to be 0
ktoe. The two most important biofuels are projected to contribute 430
ktoe (biodiesel) and 130 ktoe (bioethanol / bio-ETBE) by 2020. The
renewable electricity production from solid biomass amounts to 7.9 TWh
(676 ktoe) and for biogas it is expected to be 0.3 TWh (23 ktoe). The
consumption of renewable heat is expected to amount to 3940 ktoe for
solid biomass and 60 ktoe for biogas.
Renewable Heating and
Cooling: solar thermal energy
In Finland, although located in Northern Europe, the use of solar
energy is still attractive, both for the use of photovoltaics and solar
thermal energy. In general, solar thermal energy can be used for 6 or 7
months in a year, and it can cover 10% to 30% of annual heating demands
of a single family house (2 to 3 MWth annual production). In the year
2002 a solar road map was released and the Finnish Solar Industries
were established.
Subsidies are granted for energy investments and development projects
and energy among which solar thermal energy. The Council of State’s new
decision (625/2002, EUVL C37/2001/) sets a maximum percentage of 40%
for solar energy investments.
Subsidies are in place for renewable energy heating systems in
residential buildings to encourage investments to change from high
shares of existing electric heating and oil heating to district
heating, wood pellets, heat pumps or other forms of renewable energy
For this scheme 4 to 5 million euro is available.
Projects involving innovative technology have the priority when energy
support is granted. Investment grants are targeted towards companies
and communities, not for private persons or state organisations. In
2006, in total € 34.1 million was available for energy supports and
approximately 70% was granted to renewable energy investments. The
figure includes € 3.8 million in grants from the European Regional
Development Fund. The share dedicated to solar thermal energy is not
available, but it will be small.
The Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes) is the
main public financer of technology R&D. Renewable energy
technologies are in the strategic focus of Tekes. The total funding for
renewable energy and climate change technology has been €60–70 million
annually. The share dedicated to solar thermal energy is not available,
but it will be small. Various national technology programmes and
projects have involved RES technologies, however the main focus being
on bioenergy.
Future programme changes
expected
In
order to stimulate a shift to renewable energy usage, the current
support and steering systems will be intensified and structures
changed. As a new method for promoting renewable energy, a
cost-effective feed-in tariff system, operating on market terms as far
as possible, will be introduced.
Sources
Jussi Heinimö: IEA Bioenergy Task 40 “Sustainable International
Bioenergy Trade: Se-curing
supply
and demand” Country report of Finland 2008, Lappeenranta University of
Tech-nology, Department of Energy and Environmental Technology,
Research Report EN-A 57, ISBN 978-952-214-613-7, August 2008
Ministry of Employment and the Economy, www.tem.fi (sourced August 2008)
Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, www.tekes.fi
(sourced August 2008)
Motiva Oy, www.motiva.fi (sourced August 2008)
Finland:
Long-term Climate and Energy Strategy; Government Report to Parliament
6 November 2008:
http://www.tem.fi/files/20587/Climate_Change_and_Energy_Strategy_2008_summary.pdf
The National Renewable Energy Action
Plans (NREAPs) are all published on the Transparency Platform on
Renewable Energy: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/transparency_platform/action_plan_en.htm
(sourced July - December 2010)
Renewable Energy Projections as Published in the National Renewable
Energy Action Plans of the European Member States, http://www.ecn.nl/nreap
(sourced December 2010)
Interactive EurObserv’ER Database
http://www.eurobserv-er.org
Last update: June 2011
This information can be referenced without permission provided that the
source is mentioned completely and correctly: 'Interactive EurObserv'ER
Database, http://www.eurobserv-er.org (date of last update)'
Suggestions for improvements to the policy description can be sent to EurObserv'ER by e-mail: project@eurobserv-er.org
The EurObserv'ER barometer is a project supported by the
European Commission within the DG ENER 'Intelligent Energy Europe'
programme and by Ademe, the French Environment and Energy management
Agency. The EurObserv'ER Barometer is the result of the investigation
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responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained
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