Seminar: How to manage the seasonality in the renewable energy system during the cold winter weeks?

– and how can Finland benefit from developing smart energy solutions?

The seminar sought to find answers to the following questions:

  • How can coal and other fossil fuels be replaced by clean energy solutions especially in the cities’ district heating systems?
  • How to resolve the renewable energy intermittency and seasonality challenges in Finland?
  • How can Finland benefit from the ongoing global energy transition? How can Finland contribute to the global climate change mitigation in line with the Paris agreement?

Time: Thursday 26 April 2018, 13:15 – 15:30 pm
Venue: Aalto University, School of Business, Assembly Hall (Juhlasali), Helsinki

Program (see presentations behind links)

13:15 Opening of the seminar:
Music from the upcoming opera MAAMME ENERGIA (premier 17.5.2018 in Savoy Theater, Helsinki)

 

13:30 How can Finland contribute to global energy transition and benefit from it?
Seminar Chair, Smart Energy Transition consortium Leader, Professor Armi Temmes, Aalto University (presentation)

 

13:35 How Finland can contribute to Paris climate agreement by promoting clean energy technologies – Business opportunities for Finnish companies
Minister of the Environment, Energy and Housing Kimmo Tiilikainen

 

13:50 Global opportunities for renewable energy technologies and energy transition solutions
Director, Innovation and Technology Dolf Gielen, International Renewable Energy Agency IRENA (presentation)

 

14:10 How the seasonality & variability can be managed in the clean district heating system? 
Senior Scientist, D.Sc. (Tech.) Francesco Reda, Smart Energy Transition / VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd (presentation)

 

14:30 Fulfilling winter week energy needs in future high renewable scenarios
Principal Scientist Hannele Holttinen, EL-TRAN / VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd (presentation)

 

 

14:40 – 15:30 Panel discussion: How can Finland contribute to global clean energy transition? (see video here and poll results below)

  • Professor in Sustainable Consumption Eva Heiskanen, Helsinki University
  • Chair of the Finnish Parliament’s Energy Renovation Group, MP Harri Jaskari
  • Industrial Counsellor Petteri Kuuva, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland
  • Deputy Director-General Sakari Oksanen, International Renewable Energy Agency IRENA
  • Smart Energy Innovation Program Manager Pia Salokoski, Business Finland 
  • Vice President, Sustainability and Public Affairs Maiju Westergren, Helen Ltd

Moderator: Director of Stakeholder Relations Karoliina Auvinen, Smart Energy Transition / Aalto University

The seminar was organized by Smart Energy Transition project funded by The Strategic Research Council, in cooperation with Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, and Business Finland.