Finland and China invited companies to develop smart energy solutions in unique test platforms

Finland and China invited companies to develop smart energy solutions in unique test platforms

Finland and China are building open international test platforms to develop a flexible and clean energy system. At Clean Energy Ministers Meeting (CEM9) side event held at Copenhagen 24th May, Finnish Minister of the Environment, Energy and Housing Kimmo Tiilikainen invited international companies and research institutes to Åland Islands to develop world’s first Island that uses only renewable energy sources.

The Ã…land Islands is planned to be a demonstration platform for a flexible energy system, which is based on smart grids and 100 % renewable energy production and use. Key elements of the system are the ability to integrate distributed renewable energy production into the overall system and respond to concurrent fluctuations in demand and supply.

The demonstration platform offers companies a unique opportunity to test new energy solutions. It is important that consumers are active operators in the system. Several Finnish companies and research institutes and some international operators are already planning this excellent project, which represents a real energy transition to smart and clean energy system, Minister Tiilikainen says.

Zhangjiakou Demonstration Zone in China and Ã…land Islands in Finland were presented in CEM9 Side Event in Copenhagen.

Clean energy innovations require society scale test platforms and R&D collaboration

Increasing the flexibility of power systems is crucial to achieving high penetration of renewable energy sources and ensuring safe and stable operation of power grid, stated Li Meng, Vice Minister of Ministry of science and technology of China.  

In order to raise the proportion of non-fossil energy sources to 15 % and 20 % in 2020 and 2030 respectively, China will press ahead with the large-scale development of renewable energy resources by optimizing the layout of exploitation and utilization. At Zhangjiakou demonstration zone micro grids will be utilized to achieve the increased proportion of RES.

Business Finland and the Ministry of Sciene and Technology of China has long history in organizing joint R&D calls. Finland and China will continue their productive collaboration in the field of smart and clean energy. They also welcomed international actors to join test platforms.

We are very pleased to deepen the international Mission Innovation cooperation to promote the networking of Finnish and international cleantech companies and research institutes of the field and creating partnerships, Minister Tiilikainen concluded.

MI3 and CEM9 meetings in Copenhagen and Malmö gathered key-thought leaders, Mayors and CEO’s from global companies to discuss about bold steps and collaboration on clean energy research and innovation. Mission Innovation is a global initiative of 22 countries and European Commission. Member countries have committed to seeking to double public investments in clean energy research and innovation over five years (to 2021).