Finland’s new Energy and Climate Strategy supports clean gas solutions – role of biogas to increase in the country’s energy system

Published on November 24, Finland’s new National Energy and Climate Strategy outlines that versatile gas will be part of the implementation of ambitious energy and climate objectives. According to the strategy, there will be a significant increase in the production and use of biogas in the next few years, and a stronger role will be played in the future by biogas as a transport fuel.

The new National Energy and Climate Strategy provides the guidelines on how Finland’s energy and climate objectives as well as EU obligations are to be achieved. Gasum welcomes the recognition in the strategy of the important role played by gas when moving towards a carbon-neutral society.

According to the Energy and Climate Strategy, the use of emission-free, renewable energy will be increased to raise its share above 50% in the 2020s. This objective can be reached through action including increasing the production and use of biogas. It is outlined in the strategy that growing Finnish business will evolve around biogas in the future. This policy outline strengthens Gasum’s key objective of developing the Nordic gas ecosystem and the biogas market.

At least 50,000 biogas vehicles by 2030

The Government’s Energy and Climate Strategy draws attention to the important role played by biogas in action to cut transport emissions. The aim is for Finland to have at least 50,000 gas-fueled vehicles by 2030, which will improve the energy-efficiency of the transport system in passenger and goods transport alike. Gasum is committed to the development of the gas filling station network and will construct 35 new filling stations over the next ten years.

The strategy also points out the future opportunities for biogas use also in maritime transport where stricter sulfur and nitrogen oxide restrictions are steering towards environmentally friendly fuels. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) already offers significant emission reductions today and also meets all of the shipping emission limits due to enter into force in the coming years. The LNG infrastructure and LNG-fueled ships enable the switch to renewable liquefied biogas without additional investments.

Gas can help reduce the use of coal

The Energy and Climate Strategy highlights the significance of gas particularly during the transition period towards a carbon-neutral energy system. According to the strategy, the use of coal will be phased out by 2030. Replacing the use of coal with natural gas is a speedy and cost-effective way to reduce the use of coal in combined heat and power (CHP) production without making any additional investments. Natural gas enables carbon dioxide emission reductions of up to 40% compared with coal use.

As stated by the strategy, the utilization and maintenance of the gas infrastructure can also carry on beyond the transition period as the same gas network can also be used for biogas and, in the future, for synthetic gas. Over the long term the gas network can also be utilized in the storage of renewable electricity using power-to-gas solutions.

For more information please contact:

Juha Ala-Huikku, Public Affairs Manager, Gasum
Phone: +358 20 44 78671 firstname.surname(a)gasum.fi

Olga Väisänen, Vice President, Communications, Gasum
Phone: +358 20 44 78 628 firstname.surname(a)gasum.fi