Finnish Companies Showcased Their Commitment to Wind Energy at EWEA 2012

Europe’s premier wind energy event EWEA2012, organized by the European Wind energy association, takes place this week in Copenhagen, attracting thousands of visitors and presenting more than 500 exhibitors. Finnish companies show a great example on implementing the EWEA2012 highlights: working together, creating new technology and bringing down the costs.

Finnish expertise, technology and problem solving skills were showcased at EWEA this morning in a stakeholder event with Finland’s Minister of Economy and Employment Mr Jyri Häkämies as a guest of honour. In his opening speech Minister Häkämies laid the ground for Finnish cleantech expertise:

“Finland’s strongholds in renewable energy have been developed around our forest industry processes. The main drivers have been our harsh climate conditions and the fact that we do not have own oil or gas resources. These conditions can also be converted into a stronghold – a more efficient industry”, Minister Häkämies reasons. Finland’s objective is to increase the share of renewable energy, of the final comsumption of energy, to 38 % by 2020.

Finnish companies play an important role in the wind power value chain, providing technology, components and services. The latest innovations share a significant feature: a target to cut the total cost of wind energy. Wind gear manufacturer Moventas and generator and converter supplier The Switch announced just yesterday the first commercial order of FusionDrive®, gear and generator combination developed in close co-operation between the companies.

“Using reliable medium-speed wind power generation technology, FusionDrive® is the smallest and lightest combination of gear and generator. This contributes both to manageable transport and assembly as well as total turbine cost competitiveness”, CEOs Mikael Laine from Moventas and Jukka-Pekka Mäkinen from The Switch reason.

Wind turbine provider Mervento showcases at EWEA its new design of direct driven wind turbine, designed for demanding climate conditions. Mervento CEO Patrik Holm highlights both efficiency and reliability.

“Our main design driver was financial performance meaning high energy yield and low operations and maintenance costs. The low cost of energy produced means high profitability for turbine investment.

“Wärtsilä also trusts in co-operation, in finding new, efficient and environmentally sound ways of working. Wärtsilä and Aker Solutions have combined their fields of expertise to develop a new concept for offshore wind farm installation vessels.

“Wärtsilä provides the high performance turbine installation vessels with the ship design, electrical power generation, propulsion machinery and high-end automation, Aker Solutions will supply the jacking system”, Jens Karlsson, General Manager for Ship Power sales at Wärtsilä, explains.

Minister Häkämies and representatives from Moventas, The Switch, Mervento and Wärtsilä spoke today at a stakeholder and media event at EWEA, coordinated in co-operation with Cleantech Finland, Finpro Copenhagen and the Embassy of Finland in Copenhagen.

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Offshore WIND staff, April 20, 2012; Image: EWEA