Finland Going Carbon Neutral

Finland has announced its intention to be carbon-neutral by 2035. This requires faster emissions reductions in all sectors and strengthening carbon sinks. Achieving the target include new decisions on climate policy and nearly emissions-free electricity and heat production by the end of the 2030s, as well as reducing the carbon footprint of building, promoting a circular economy, and a climate-friendly food policy.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has launched the preparation of a new national climate and energy strategy. The strategy will be prepared in coordination with the medium-term climate plan. The strategy is expected to be completed in summer 2021 and submitted as a report to Parliament in autumn 2021. In addition to the 2035 carbon-neutrality target, the strategy will take into account sector-specific work carried out in various ministries and the European Commission’s forthcoming Green Deal on increasing the EU’s emission reduction targets for 2030.

A low-carbon society requires large amounts of clean electricity and ensuring availability of clean energy at a sufficiently low price. With climate neutrality comes the requirement of integrating different energy systems (electricity, heating, transport, industry) and presenting low-energy technologies adaptable to industrial scale. This presents an opportunity for U.S renewable energy companies including system integrators and energy storage solution providers to engage with the Finnish energy industry for market driven solutions. Please connect with your local export assistance center to further explore the Finnish market.