Four Finnish-Chinese energy sector pilot projects were announced on 14 January 2019 in connection with the state visit to China of the Finnish President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö. The pilot projects focus on clean energy supply, district heating and cooling solutions, smart and flexible energy solutions and renewable energy solutions.
According to a press release by the Finnish MInistry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the pilot projects announced by China’s Ministry of Energy this week are the Internet of energy in Lunan, geothermal energy recovery in Zhoukou, biomass gasification in a coal-fired power plant in Huarun, and a micro network in Nansha. Chinese and Finnish energy companies and other stakeholders will now in cooperation launch concrete measures to promote these four projects.
At the project application stage, the technological strengths of both countries and their resolve to reach tangible results were emphasised, said the press release. The completion of the pilot projects is based on the cooperation between Finland's Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and China’s Ministry of Energy.
In accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Finnish and Chinese ministries in June 2017, China’s Ministry of Energy opened a China-wide project application round, which attracted twenty applications in total.
Business Finland representatives
After a preliminary shortlisting by the China's Ministry of Energy, the Finnish-Chinese group of experts selected the final four pilot projects. The Finnish panel of experts, which consisted of representatives from Business Finland, universities and the corporate world, emphasised the importance of innovative solutions that feature an extensive company offering and that can be easily duplicated in different markets.
“We are engaged in long-term cooperation with the Chinese Ministry of Energy, and from the very beginning we have been building on cooperation based on the strengths of both countries. Opportunities for cooperation in the energy sector were taken into account in the Joint Declaration signed during the state visit of the President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, in 2017,” said Pentti Puhakka, Ministerial Adviser of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.
“The Finnish companies participating in Business Finland’s Smart Energy Finland programme offer innovative, reliable and clean solutions. The active participation of these companies in our activities in China has been essential for the creation of these pilot projects and for building cooperation based on trust”, said Helena Sarén, Programme Director for Smart Energy Finland Programme, Business Finland.
