Wind power a vital source of energy for Finland – energy bills to rise as the Finns move towards an independent energy supply.
The end of Russian electricity imports in mid-May reduced one 1,300-megawatt import opportunity, further increasing the importance of other pipelines and renewable energy sources.
By the end of 2023, at least another 1,300 megawatts of wind-powered electricity will be completed, bringing the total rated capacity to about 6,500 megawatts.
Wind power a vital source of energy for Finland
Wind farms are now rising at an unprecedented pace in Finland. At the end of last year, the combined rated power of Finnish wind farms was 3,257 megawatts.
According to the Wind Power Association, an additional 1,900 megawatts will be completed this year.
At the end of the year, Finland already has 5,157 megawatts of wind power, which is considerably more than nuclear power.
After the completion of the third wind farm in Olkiluoto, there will be approximately 4,400 megawatts of nuclear power in Finland.
In any case, the share of wind power in total electricity production is starting to be significant. Already last year, almost 12 percent of all electricity generated in Finland was generated by wind.
The Finnish Parliament has just approved a new Climate Change Act. The targets are to be carbon neutral by 2035 and carbon negative by 2040 which are now legally binding.
They are based on an analysis by the Climate Change Panel on Finland’s fair share of the global carbon budget of 1.5 degrees.
Finland is 100% dependent on Russian gas.
Russia likely to cut off gas supply today.
Absolutely no problem for us, bc gas only ~5% of energy portfolio.
Easy to divert to alternative energy sources and grids.
This is what we call being prepared for different scenarios.
— Alexander Stubb (@alexstubb) May 20, 2022
The production of electricity is erratic
The production of electricity is erratic even in Finland. In calm weather, wind farm production can drop very close to zero, no matter how many there are.
The production of electricity in wind farms, on the other hand, depends on the wind. On average, wind farms are estimated to generate about 40 percent of their rated power.
Finns are being prepared for the extra investment needed to develop more energy farms and are bracing themselves for a rise in energy prices.
“In the parks built in the best places, the capacity factor may have been even higher, but I would say that it is safe to lower by about 40 percent,” says Anni Mikkonen, CEO of the Wind Power Association.
Last year, a total of 69 terawatt hours of electricity was generated in Finland. Eight terawatt hours of wind power was generated.
Calculated at the end of this year with a capacity factor of 40 percent, the annual output would rise to about 19 terawatt hours.
……………………………………………….
