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Renewable Energy in Finland: From a Production-Centric to a Consumption-Centric System

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New Challenges and Solutions for Renewable Energy

Abstract

Finland, in line with its Nordic neighbours, has set itself ambitious goals to achieve carbon neutrality. By the late 2010s, the idea of a full-scale energy transition was mainstreamed in Finnish society alongside the expectation of renewable energy being the main production component in the Finnish energy system. In this chapter, we argue that an increased share of renewable energy sources is associated with the trends of electrification, decentralisation and variability. These trends contribute to a move from a production-centric to a consumption-centric energy system and require a focus on how flows of electricity are managed, stored and redistributed and how this affects the interests of the widening field of stakeholders. We focus on stakeholders’ interests as they navigate and respond to the trends associated with a higher share of renewable energy in the system with a special focus on grid development and energy storage. Our analysis highlights that whereas the need for a transition to higher shares of renewable energy is being mainstreamed, the policy development necessary is still in a formative phase and stakeholders struggle to balance and interlink the variety of their interests.

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Appendix 1: Stakeholder Interviews

Appendix 1: Stakeholder Interviews

Interview number

Sector

Area of expertise

1

Business

Network/grid

2

Business

Solutions

3

Business

Energy/environment

4

Business

Network/grid

5

Business

Network/grid

6

Business

Network/grid

7

Business

Solutions/R&D

8

Business

Systems

9

Business

Network/grid

10

NGO

Consumption

11

Public sector

Markets

12

Business

Production

13

Public sector

Network/grid

14

NGO

Consumption

15

Business

Consumption

16

Business

Network/grid

17

NGO

Production

18

NGO

Consumption

19

NGO

Production

20

NGO

Climate/energy

21

Business

Production

22

NGO

Energy/climate

23

NGO

Consumption

24

NGO

Energy

25

Business

Network/grid

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Kilpeläinen, S., Aalto, P., Kiviluoma, J. (2021). Renewable Energy in Finland: From a Production-Centric to a Consumption-Centric System. In: Midford, P., Moe, E. (eds) New Challenges and Solutions for Renewable Energy. International Political Economy Series. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54514-7_14

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