Besides renewable electricity production, Finland needs sufficient capacity flexible and weather-independent energy production –only in this way can we together ensure a reliable, safe, and reasonably priced energy supply in our society in all situations. Clean gases are part of this safe and flexible transition.
The reliability of Finland’s energy system can be improved/supported with clean gases, as electricity production based on solar and wind energy is dependent on weather conditions and thus variable. As the share of renewable energy-based production in our energy system increases going forward, the need for flexibility will also increase. Clean gases are a quickly deployable energy source that can stabilise our energy system. Gasgrid has several ongoing clean gas connection projects, and we estimate that the production capacity of renewable gases will increase tenfold by 2030.
More than 10% of Finland’s electricity production capacity is currently connected to the gas system. This is almost equivalent to the production capacity of Olkiluoto 3. The gas market, gas transmission network and ancillary services as a whole form a diverse energy platform. The platform supports the use of different gases, security of supply, gas transmission and flexibility of the energy system through sector integration, as energy sectors balance each other’s consumption and production peaks. Gasgrid’s current transmission system can store approximately 60,000 MWh of usable energy, which enables gas-fired, quickly adjusting energy production plants to be operated for about 24 hours, if necessary.
Flexible energy system means considerable cost savings and in turn competitiveness
A report on Finland’s energy system conducted by the technology company Wärtsilä in collaboration with Afry, shows that Finnish electricity users could save up to EUR 1.3 billion per year if we add 2 gigawatts (GW) of flexible and reliable capacity to our energy system by 2030.
Gasgrid’s calculations indicate that the gas system generated savings of EUR 1.5–3.0 billion for Finland’s national economy in the first week of January this year, as gas was able to support the electricity market in exceptionally low wind and cold weather conditions during which part of the production capacity was out of use. The injection and transmission capacity of our gas system already enables us to efficiently increase our gas-based electricity production capacity to support our transition towards renewable energy production.
Gasgrid’s goal is to promote the transition towards a clean energy system through both national gas pipeline projects and the European Union’s international hydrogen infrastructure development projects. The projects will have a significant impact on the EU’s internal market for energy systems and on the achievement of energy and climate policy objectives. They will increase affordable, secure and sustainably produced energy, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.