350 S. KILPELÄINEN ET AL.
transition to eventually extend to all components of the energy system,
profoundly affecting all the stakeholders in the energy industry, overall
economy and wider society.
In 2017, 37% of final energy consumption came from renewable
energy sources (Tilastokeskus 2018). The 2030 Energy and Climate
Strategy of Finland introduces several further targets designed to support
the expansion of the role of renewables. Such measures include phasing
out coal use in energy production, halving the domestic use of imported
oil and increasing the share of renewable transport fuels to 30%. In the
process, self-sufficiency should increase to over 55%. In the transport
sector, the strategy targets 250,000 electric vehicles (EVs) in addition
to 50,000 gas-fuelled vehicles (including biogas) (Ministry of Economic
Affairs and Employment 2017, pp. 9, 58).
Fulfilling the Paris commitments will presuppose negative emissions,
energy efficiency measures and ambitious renewable energy policies
(Rocha et al. 2016). Biomass in different forms has gradually become the
most important renewable resource in Finland. It was also the most significant energy resource overall in 2017 with its 27% share of final energy
consumption (Tilastokeskus 2018). The large volume of the forestry
industry supports increasing its use even further, as outlined in the 2030
Energy Strategy. The forestry industry uses biomass-generated energy
in its production of pulp, paper and other bioproducts, and sells its
surplus electricity to the market. The ongoing development of small
and medium-scale biomass powered combined heat and power (CHP)
units will likewise support the role of biomass. Moreover, several agricultural wastes, harvest residue and other biomass streams suitable for
biogas production currently remain grossly underutilised (Pääkkönen
et al. 2019). Hydropower has remained important with a share of 4% of
final energy consumption and 22% of electricity generation (Tilastokeskus
2018); however, most of the remaining resource potential is protected
from utilisation and hence prospects of expansion are limited.
Wind and solar energy, which are weather-dependent and hence
variable-output resources, are making inroads in Finland. In 2017, wind
power covered 7% of electricity generation (Tilastokeskus 2018). Nine
purely commercial, non-subsidised wind power projects were scheduled
for completion by the end of 2019 (Tuulivoimayhdistys 2019). Solar
PV generation—which was not expected to play a major role in the
2030 scenarios of the 2016 Energy Strategy—started attracting renewed
interest in Finland, with one company having claimed to have mapped the
transition to eventually extend to all components of the energy system,
profoundly affecting all the stakeholders in the energy industry, overall
economy and wider society.
In 2017, 37% of final energy consumption came from renewable
energy sources (Tilastokeskus 2018). The 2030 Energy and Climate
Strategy of Finland introduces several further targets designed to support
the expansion of the role of renewables. Such measures include phasing
out coal use in energy production, halving the domestic use of imported
oil and increasing the share of renewable transport fuels to 30%. In the
process, self-sufficiency should increase to over 55%. In the transport
sector, the strategy targets 250,000 electric vehicles (EVs) in addition
to 50,000 gas-fuelled vehicles (including biogas) (Ministry of Economic
Affairs and Employment 2017, pp. 9, 58).
Fulfilling the Paris commitments will presuppose negative emissions,
energy efficiency measures and ambitious renewable energy policies
(Rocha et al. 2016). Biomass in different forms has gradually become the
most important renewable resource in Finland. It was also the most significant energy resource overall in 2017 with its 27% share of final energy
consumption (Tilastokeskus 2018). The large volume of the forestry
industry supports increasing its use even further, as outlined in the 2030
Energy Strategy. The forestry industry uses biomass-generated energy
in its production of pulp, paper and other bioproducts, and sells its
surplus electricity to the market. The ongoing development of small
and medium-scale biomass powered combined heat and power (CHP)
units will likewise support the role of biomass. Moreover, several agricultural wastes, harvest residue and other biomass streams suitable for
biogas production currently remain grossly underutilised (Pääkkönen
et al. 2019). Hydropower has remained important with a share of 4% of
final energy consumption and 22% of electricity generation (Tilastokeskus
2018); however, most of the remaining resource potential is protected
from utilisation and hence prospects of expansion are limited.
Wind and solar energy, which are weather-dependent and hence
variable-output resources, are making inroads in Finland. In 2017, wind
power covered 7% of electricity generation (Tilastokeskus 2018). Nine
purely commercial, non-subsidised wind power projects were scheduled
for completion by the end of 2019 (Tuulivoimayhdistys 2019). Solar
PV generation—which was not expected to play a major role in the
2030 scenarios of the 2016 Energy Strategy—started attracting renewed
interest in Finland, with one company having claimed to have mapped the