Wind power in Finland

Wind farm in Ii, Finland

Wind power in Finland has been the fastest growing source of electricity in recent years. In 2023, Finland covered 18.2% of the yearly electricity demand with wind power production, which was 18.5% of the domestic production. Wind capacity was up 1.3 GW from the previous year and wind production up 25%.[1] This compares to an average wind power share of 19% in the EU.[2]

By the end of 2022, Finland's wind power capacity reached 5,677 MW with 1,393 turbines installed. That year, wind power production increased by 41% to 11.6 TWh, representing 14.1% of the country's electricity consumption. This growth positioned wind power as the country's third largest electricity source.[3]

According to a 2018 study done by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, published in Nature Energy, new wind power technology could cover the entire electricity consumption (86 TWh) of Finland.[4]

Wind power is one of the most popular energy resources among the Finnish public. In 2022 82% of respondents wanted more wind power, which was second only to solar with 90%.[5] Previous results include 90% in September 2007 and 88% in April 2005.[6] In the Pori area of Finland 97% of people supported wind power according to Suomen Hyötytuuli Oy in 2000.[7]

Comparison

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In 2018 the cumulative wind power capacity in Finland was 2,041 MW compared to Sweden 7,047 MW, Ireland 3,564 MW and Germany 59,311 MW. In 2018 there was zero new installed wind power in Finland. The wind energy share of total electricity demand was 6% in 2018.[8] In 2019 Finnish wind installations resumed and by 2023 wind capacity had increased to 5,678 MW.[9]

Wind energy covered 16% of EU electricity demand in 2022. In Europe Denmark had the highest share 55%, Ireland 34%, the UK 28%, Portugal and Germany 26% , Sweden and Spain 25%, as compared to Finland's 14%.[9]

EU and Finland wind energy capacity (MW)[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][9][23]
Country 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998
EU+UK* 249,874 232,992 215,704 203,256 192,231 178,862 168,729 153,730 141,579 129,060 117,289 106,454 93,957 84,074 74,767 64,712 56,517 48,069 40,511 34,383 28,599 23,159 17,315 12,887 9,678 6,453
Finland 6,943 5,678 3,328 2,586 2,284 2,041 2,113 1,539 1,001 627 448 288 199 197 147 142 109 86 82 82 52 43 39 38 38 17

^ Includes the UK even after it left the EU. Croatia is included since 2014.

Growth

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2,500
5,000
7,500
10,000
12,500
15,000
90
92
94
96
98
00
02
04
06
08
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
  •   Capacity (MW)
  •   Production (GWh)
Wind power in Finland[14][24]

After 2017 Finnish renewable energy subsidies lapsed after two years of record growth in wind installations. The government had started negotiations about an auction system to replace them, but did not complete the process before the previous system expired. 2018 was expected to see little growth in wind generation as a result.[25]

In late 2018 the Government held an auction for up to 1.4 TWh of annual renewable electricity generation. All the bids received were for wind projects. In March 2019 the results were announced with seven projects totaling 1.36 TWh accepted. The average winning premium was €2.49 /MWh, with successful bids ranging from 1.27 to €3.97 /MWh.[26]

By 2020 the wind power sector was again booming, but this time without subsidies. Finnish Wind Power Association estimated 18 GW of wind power projects in 2020, with 7% of those under construction and 40% with planning permission.[27] By the end of 2021, more than 1 GW of unsubsidised wind power was to be commissioned, with a further estimated 1.3 GW and 1.2 GW coming online in the next two years.[28]

Offshore wind

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Tahkoluoto wind farm near Pori

Finland has a single offshore wind farm, the 44 MW Tahkoluoto offshore wind farm, owned by Suomen Hyötytuuli. It is located near Pori, with an initial pilot turbine constructed in 2010 and the other ten turbines in 2017. An extension with a further 40 turbines is planned. A demonstration project with two deep water wind turbines received a 30 million grant and is planned to be constructed in 2023-26 before the main extension.[29][30]

In 2022 Metsähallitus held a tender for an offshore wind farm in Korsnäs. Vattenfall won the tender to construct the 1.3 GW wind farm which is projected to produce approximately 5 TWh of electricity per year. The wind farm is expected to be commissioned in the early 2030s.[31][32] In late 2023, Metsähallitus and Vattenfall agreed to expand the project area in line with a draft regional plan, allowing up to 2 GW of capacity.[33]

Further auctions are planned for 2023 and 2024, with zones for five offshore wind sites to be leased in Finnish territorial waters by Metsähallitus. An auction for the first two areas totaling 3 GW was announced in late 2023 and was estimated to take a year. A process for the other three areas was to be confirmed in 2024.[34][35][36]

In May 2024 the government decided to reject all 16 applications for offshore wind farms outside territorial waters in the exclusive economic zone until new legislation has been passed. Legislation is still being prepared and the fear was that granting applications now would undermine the new law. Exploration is still allowed to continue. This is expected to slow down the projects under development in the EEZ.[37]

Economy

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According to EPV Tuulivoima in 2010, a 100 MW wind farm (30 wind turbines) would employ ca 1000 persons.[38]

In 2016, St1 opened the 59,5 MW TuuliWatti at a cost of €140 million.[39] Wind power is partially responsible for keeping electricity prices from rising.[40]

According to Technical University of Lappeenranta wind power became the cheapest power in Finland since March 2017. Power production cost per MWh in 2017 were: wind power €41, nuclear power €42, peat €61, coal €64, wood €76 and solar €100. In 2019 new wind power cost is estimated to be €25 /MWh. In 2019 new wind power will be produced 10,9 TWh in Norway, Sweden and Finland.[41]

Politics

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Kimmo Tiilikainen (1966) (Centre Party) was the environmental minister of Finland during 1.10.2007-31.3.2008, while the permanent minister (Paula Lehtomäki, Centre Party) was on a leave. In his preliminary minister comments in September 2006 Kimmo Tiilikainen recommended Feed-in-Tariff for wind power within one year with the objective of 3000 MW wind power in 2020. Finland consumed 90 000 GWh of electricity in (2006).[42]

Municipals receive taxes from wind power. Both Raahe and Kalajoki obtained €1.35 million in taxes from 60 turbines in 2018. According to Wind Power Association for land owners wind power is more profitable than same land as forest use.[43]

In 2014 the government was planning to reduce local municipal income from wind power by taking half of the tax income to the state (tax of real estate). This was suggested since government was afraid that the wind power market was overheated in Finland. The reduced tax was meant to lower interest in wind power investments in the municipalities.[44]

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  • Wind turbines as seen from the top of one in Finland
    Wind turbines as seen from the top of one in Finland
  • Wind farm in Finland, Ii municipality
    Wind farm in Finland, Ii municipality
  • Vatunki wind farm in Kuivaniemi, Ii municipality, Finland.
    Vatunki wind farm in Kuivaniemi, Ii municipality, Finland.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Energiavuosi 2023 Sähkö". Energiateollisuus ry. 2024-01-11. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  2. ^ "The EU built a record 17 GW of new wind energy in 2023 – wind now 19% of electricity production". 2024-01-12. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  3. ^ "Finland - Country Commercial Guide". International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. 2023-11-20.
  4. ^ Rinne, Erkka; Holttinen, Hannele; Kiviluoma, Juha; Rissanen, Simo (2018-05-14). "Effects of turbine technology and land use on wind power resource potential". Nature Energy. 3 (6): 494–500. Bibcode:2018NatEn...3..494R. doi:10.1038/s41560-018-0137-9. ISSN 2058-7546. S2CID 158062616.
  5. ^ "Energia-asenteet 2022". 2022-12-08. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  6. ^ Valtaosa suomalaisista kannattaa tuulivoiman lisäämistä, Helsingin Sanomat, 3.10.2007 A4
  7. ^ Suomen Hyötytuuli Oy, Porin Tahkoluodon ympäristövaikutusten selostus Pöyry December 2006
  8. ^ Wind energy in Europe in 2018 WindEurope Feb 2019
  9. ^ a b c "Wind energy in Europe: 2022 Statistics and the outlook for 2023-2027". 2023-02-28. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  10. ^ EWEA Staff (2010). "Cumulative installed capacity per EU Member State 1998 - 2009 (MW)". European Wind Energy Association. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
  11. ^ EWEA Staff (February 2011). "EWEA Annual Statistics 2010" (PDF). European Wind Energy Association. Retrieved 2011-01-31.
  12. ^ EWEA Staff (February 2012). "EWEA Annual Statistics 2011" (PDF). European Wind Energy Association. Retrieved 2011-02-18.
  13. ^ Wind in power: 2012 European statistics February 2013
  14. ^ a b VTT (2010)
  15. ^ 2013
  16. ^ "Wind in power 2015 European statistics" (PDF). February 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  17. ^ "Wind in power 2016 European statistics" (PDF). February 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  18. ^ "Wind in power 2017 European statistics" (PDF). February 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
  19. ^ "Wind Energy in Europe in 2018 European" (PDF). February 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  20. ^ "Wind Energy in Europe in 2019" (PDF). February 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  21. ^ "Wind energy in Europe in 2020 - Trends and statistics". 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  22. ^ "Wind energy in Europe: 2021 Statistics and the outlook for 2022-2026". 2021-02-24. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  23. ^ "Wind energy in Europe: 2023 Statistics and the outlook for 2024-2030". 2024-02-28. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  24. ^ Energiateollisuus ry (2023-01-12). "Energiavuosi 2022 Sähkö". Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  25. ^ "Tuulivoimavuosi 2017". Tuulivoimayhdistys. 2018-01-23. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
  26. ^ "Support for seven projects awarded through auction - the average price of accepted tenders EUR 2.5 per MWh". Energy Authority. 2019-03-27. Retrieved 2019-03-28.
  27. ^ "Finnish wind power project portfolio updated: A record amount of wind power is planned in Finland". Finnish Wind Power Association. 2020-02-19. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  28. ^ "Projects under construction". Finnish Wind Power Association. 2021-11-19. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  29. ^ "Offshore wind power". Suomen Hyötytuuli. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
  30. ^ "Suomen Hyötytuulelle 30 miljoonan euron investointituki merituulivoimaloiden rakentamiseen Porin Tahkoluotoon" (in Finnish). YLE. 2023-02-15. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
  31. ^ "Korsnäs Offshore Wind Farm". Metsähallitus. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
  32. ^ "Vattenfall takes Finnish offshore wind gigascale with $3bn project near Arctic waters". Recharge News. 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
  33. ^ "Metsähallitus and Vattenfall agree to expand Korsnäs Offshore Wind Farm project". Metsähallitus. 2023-11-22. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
  34. ^ "Not just Korsnäs. Finland to lease offshore areas for 2-4 wind farms". Baltic Wind. 2022-06-03. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
  35. ^ "Next offshore projects". Metsähallitus. 2022-06-03. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
  36. ^ "Metsähallitus to launch the competitive tendering process for two offshore wind power projects". Metsähallitus. 2023-11-23. Retrieved 2024-05-05.
  37. ^ "The growth story of offshore wind in Finland slowed down, but not ended". Finnish Wind Power Association. 2024-05-03. Retrieved 2024-05-05.
  38. ^ Tuulivoiman rakentaminen työllistäisi tuhansia YLE 18.3.2010
  39. ^ "Finland's largest wind park opens on west coast". Yle Uutiset. 23 August 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  40. ^ "Electricity fees remain low – experts cite wind effect". Yle Uutiset. 25 July 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  41. ^ Tuulesta temmattua Suomen Kuvalehti 4.1.2019 pages 50-55
  42. ^ Supplies and Total Consumption of Electricity, GWh Finnish Energy Industries, Adato Energia Oy
  43. ^ Miksi kunnan kannattaa kiinnostua tuulivoimasta? Tuulivoimayhdistys
  44. ^ Tuulivoimalakuntien verotuloja aiotaan leikata Helsingin Sanomat 19.2.2014 A13
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