Carbon neutral municipalities –An innovative Finnish approach

Alec Estlander & Kaarina ToivonenFinnish Environment Institute SYKE

September 2010

Carbon neutral municipalities (CANEMU)

Five Finnish municipalities act as laboratories by working to

curb their carbon dioxide emissions ahead of schedule

(-80% 2020/2030)with SYKE (and TEKES)

support

”Let’s make the impossible possible”

• Something should be done to mitigate climate change!

• Climate change mitigation can also offer possibilities

• Active individuals can generate change!

• The initiators below (Prof. Jyri Seppälä, SYKE and CEO Jari Raitanen)

Actors

• Steering group

• Project group in SYKE

• Over 40 national technology companies

• Support group in the Parliament

• Municipal actors: municipal government, local companies, organisations, residents, summer residents

Municipalities

Uusikaupunki: 16 000 inhabitants, 502 km2 (land),a small coastal town, industry, wind energy

Mynämäki: 8 000 inhabitants, 522 km2,a largely agricultural locality, wind energy

Kuhmoinen: 2 700 inhabitants, 937 km2, forest resources, summer residents

Padasjoki: 3 600 inhabitants, 731 km2, forest resources, summer residents

Parikkala: 6 100 inhabitants, 761 km2,farming, forest resources, SMEs

ParikkalaKuhmoinen

PadasjokiUusikaupunki

Mynämäki

ProcessCommitment - versatile communication about possibilities, measures and benefits -> “we are doing together”

Practical measures in the early stage of the project - visible results important for the credibility of the project- focus on the strengths of the munipalicities

Determination of short-term (2-5 years) and long-term (6-20 years) targets- e.g. 20% reduction by 2012, 50 % reduction by 2020, 80 % reduction by 2030

Implementation- voluntary schemes and demonstration based on business practices- research and development projects, pilot scale trials- close collaboration (researchers, public sector, residents, business)

Monitoring and evaluation system- to show results and development- to gather materials on good practices and to analyse cost-effectiveness

Actions in municipalities

• Calculation of emissions

• Calculation of emission reduction potentials

• Commitment of municipal governments

• Support to local companies, organisations and residents

• Pilot projects, surveys

• Communication, media

• Climate and energy strategies

-200000

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0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

700000

Kuhmoinen Padasjoki Parikkala Mynämäki Uusikaupunki

MW

h/a

Reduction potential of energy consumption based on fossil fuels

Energy consumption based on fossil fuels ( v. 2007)

Energy saving potentials in buildings

Energy production potential of renewable sources

Result = The energy use of fossil fuels - energy savings - energy production of renewable sources

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Uusikaupunki

Parikkala

Padasjoki

Mynämäki

Kuhmoinen

CO2-ekv./asukas/vuosi (tonnia)

Kasvihuonekaasupäästöt v. 2007

Liikenne Rakennusten lämmitys Muu sähkön käyttö

Muu polttoaineiden käyttö Jätehuolto Maatalous

Greenhouse gas emissions 2007

Transport

Waste management

Other electricity cons.Building heating

AgricultureOther fuel cons.

CO2 eq./inhabitant/year (tonnes)

(KASVENER model)

Possible actions to reduce emissions Energy efficiency in energy production Energy savings in households, industry and public properties Urban planning Forest energy Energy from agricultural by-products Wind energy Solar energy Geothermal heat pumps Buildings: insulation, ventilation, heat recovery, passive solar energy Transport planning, public transport Walking and cycling Public procurement Decreased use of fertilizers Changes in consumption patterns Etc.

Case: District heating with wood chips

• District heating plant

• Possibility to produce electricity and heat (CHP)

• Efficiency up to 90 %

• In Finland about 50 % of buildings are connected to a district heating system, in Helsinki about 90 %

• Possible fuels: wood chip, wood pellets, other biofuels, (coal, natural gas, peat, oil)

Media and communication

• A lot of national and local media attention obtained

• New emission calculator for citizens developed (below right)

• “Climate diet” TV documentary series

Key factors in promoting climate-friendly solutions in municipalities

• The municipal management and administration see climate change mitigation as a possibility

• The municipality promotes awareness of climate change and motivate citizens through their own example

• Different actors form networks work together to find innovative solutions and support

• The municipality and local companies work together

• The media highligts successful local examples

• Motivated people in the municipality give their time and effort

• Different target groups are supported in getting started

Please, visit our website:

www.ymparisto.fi/canemu

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION !

Alec and Kaarina

EXTRA SLIDES

Examples: Implemented measures and decisions already made in Uusikaupunki

• Use of process heat from a fertliser manufacturing facility

• Installation of two 1.3 MW wind turbines

• Biodiesel from fish processing wastes

• Video conference facilities made available for local firms to hire

• Flaring of landfill gas

• Construction of passive houses

• Manufacture of heat-storing fireplaces

• Energy efficiency agreement

• Involvement in ICLEI's "Cities for climate protection" campaign

• Internet interview survey of local residents (1,000 respondents)

• Online poll for summer residents regarding e.g. heating

• Real time metering of energy and water consumption

• Renovation and energy audit of the municipal kitchen

• New locations connected to the district heating network

• Meetings between the municipality and 30 local companies about CO2 emission reductions and the effects of the CANEMU project ETC.

-200000

-100000

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

700000

Kuhmoinen Padasjoki Parikkala Mynämäki Uusikaupunki

MW

h/a

Reduction potential of energy consumption based on fossil fuels

Energy consumption based on fossil fuels ( v. 2007)

Energy saving potentials in buildings

Energy production potential of renewable sources

Result = The energy use of fossil fuels - energy savings - energy production of renewable sources

Potential in renewable energy sources

Straw, reed canary grass

Wood chip

Biogas (dung, vegetal waste)

Wind energy

Hydro power

Solar energy

Steering groupErkki Eskola, ministerial advisor, Ministry of Employment and the EconomyJarmo J Heinonen, head of technology, TekesAnne Heusala, head of municipal council, KuhmoinenHeikki Jaakkola, head of municipal council, PadasjokiSaara Jääskeläinen, senior inspector, Ministry of Transport and CommunicationsLeena Karessuo, director, Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities (chair)Lea Kauppi, director general, Finnish Environment InstituteKari Koski, head of municipal council, UusikaupunkiHans Olander, head of municipal council, ParikkalaHannele Pokka, permanent secretary, Ministry of the EnvironmentJari Raitanen, managing director, Devoi OyRisto Savolainen, sales manager, St1 OyMikko Talola, development manger, Lassila & Tikanoja OyjAnne Vehviläinen, senior environmental inspector, Ministry of Agriculture and ForestryHelena Vänskä, senior adviser, Confederation of Finnish IndustrySeija Österberg, head of municipal council, Mynämäki

Project group in SYKE

Head of project with overall responsibility, Professor Jyri SeppäläProject Manager: Jyrki TenhunenSenior Engineer: Alec EstlanderCommunication, media: Ulla Ala-KetolaResearch Engineer: Jarmo LinjamaSpecialist researcher: Ari NissinenMain researcher: Olli-Pekka PietiläinenSenior Adviser: Pirke SuoheimoResearcher: Kaarina Toivonen

Companies involvedABBAina GroupAirwecareBaseN OyBenvirocBIOvakka OyDeloitteDevoi CircleEagle Tuulivoima OyEkovillaElintarviketeollisuusliittoEnergiateollisuusEnespaFortum

RaisioRemoteMxSchneider ElectricSkaala ikkunat ja ovet OySolutions SpaceSt1Suomen lämpöpumpputekniikkaVacon OyVahterus OyVapo OyVattenfallVeikkaus OyWinwind OyWSP Finland OyYIT

HK RuokataloInnotek OyKalliokaivo OyKemira WaterKuusakoski OyLassila & TikanojaMicrosoftMuovitech Finland OyMW PowerNaps Systems OyNokiaNordic AC/Hi-Log OyOras LtdOversol OyOy Windside Production LtdParocPricewaterhouseCoopers Oy

Support network in the parliament

Tarja Tallqvist, Uusimaa, Christian Democrats in FinlandTimo Kaunisto, Varsinais-Suomi, Centre PartyPetteri Orpo, Varsinais-Suomi, National Coalition ParyChristina Gestrin, Uusimaa, Swedish People’s PartyMiapetra Kumpula-Natri, Vaasa, Social Democratic Party of FinlandPentti Tiusanen, Kymi, Left Alliance Heli Järvinen, Etelä-Savo, Green League

Noted challenges

• Economic recession has caused some difficulties for authorities to spend their resources to the project

• There is a need to increase “face to face” guidance for all target groups

• It has been difficult to obtain exhaustive data about the measures of residents

• How to get investments for many new plans of technical systems with effective mitigation potential in the near future?