Great opportunities for renewable energy
Finland’s Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen has repeatedly stressed that
kicking the carbon addiction should be seen as a godsend to renewable energy
innovations. Finland has pole position in the race for new wood-based
energy technology.
The latest statistics by the International Energy Agency confirm that the world is in the throes of a severe carbon addiction. Fossil fuels account for aver 80 per cent of the world’s total primary energy supply, while the share of combustible renewable fuels is 10 per cent. Concern over climate change has sparked international initiatives to reduce carbon dependence. The European Union has marched in the forefront, setting ambitious targets on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and on increased use of renewable energy.kicking the carbon addiction should be seen as a godsend to renewable energy
innovations. Finland has pole position in the race for new wood-based
energy technology.
Finland’s Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen is confident that the global
financial crisis will not lead to backsliding on the EU member countries’ commitment to supply from renewable sources 10 per cent of transport fuel used within the Union by the year 2020. The more ambitious target of pushing the figure up to 5.75 per cent by next year is unlikely to be reached in the financial and economic turmoil currently shaking the world, but then it was always voluntary, the Prime Minister points out.
Critics sometimes say that Finland always wants to be the model student in the EU class, but in this matter Finland wants to be up front. With the forest sector undergoing heavy restructuring, new renewable energy technology holds out a promise of renewing and broadening the utilization of the nation’s foremost natural resource.
Future transport fuels
The financial crisis has had one healthy consequence. It is weeding out the more doubtful renewable energy ventures, such as transporting bio oils and biomass long distances to feed refineries and other energy plants. The Prime Minister points out that as Finland has no reserves of oil or other fossil fuels, biomass is the most significant local fuel.
“As a rule, the profitable transport distance for biomass is some tens
of kilometres. Finland is the most forested country in Europe and woodbased biomass can be found within a relatively short range in all parts of the country.”
The forest industry utilizes its wood residues in power generation,
and wood is a significant fuel decentralized energy production in Finland.
New wood gasification technology promises to produce liquid transport fuels out of wood. The Prime Minister says that Finnish companies
stand a good chance of reaping the benefit of bold investment in the
new technology.
“According to estimates, building five diesel fuel plants by the year 2020 would involve investments of some EUR 2 billion in the European forest industry, and the market share of Finnish companies could be up to one half of the total. By the year 2030, the potential for wood-based diesel fuel production in Europe is estimated at 30-100 plants.”
The premier is equally confident that despite the small population base, ethanol produced out of domestic waste biomass can supply a significant part of the demand based on EU targets.
“Ethanol production technology has been and continues to be developed in Finland. I can see significant opportunities for technology exports in this area.”
By Risto Pitkänen
Photo Miika Kainu
