What opportunities does the green and digital transition create for Finland? What are the prerequisites for the realisation of the so-called dual transition? What investments have already been directed towards the green and digital transition as part of the NextGenerationEU recovery plan? What is the intended impact of these investments?
“A Greener, More Digital and Sustainable Finland” is an event that will discuss the requirements for the green and digital transition and the associated future prospects.
The event will showcase investments in the green and digital transition funded under the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) through the Research Council of Finland and Business Finland. These investments will cover key areas of research, research and innovation infrastructures, growth companies and industrial reforms. Panel discussions will delve into three different themes, involving researchers and businesses from the funded projects, policymakers and preparatory officials, as well as other RDI stakeholders.
The event is open to all interested parties. Some parts of the programme can be attended online, but we encourage attendees to join in person. The event will be organised in both Finnish and English.
Program
The opening address, presentations and panel discussions are available both onsite and online. The panel discussions are in Finnish, but we aim to provide interpretation for onsite participants during the discussions. The networking part of the programme is for onsite participants only.
12.00 Opening address, Marie Donnay, Director, European Commission (EN)
Presentation: RRF Investments – Riitta Maijala, Vice President for Research, Research Council of Finland (FI/EN)
Presentation: RRF Investments – Teija Lahti-Nuuttila, Executive Director, Business Finland (FI/EN)
Panel Discussion 1 (FI) – Recycling and Material Reuse (in Finnish, interpretation into English available for onsite participants)
Principal Investigator Ville Santala, Bio and Circular Economy Infrastructure, Tampere University
Permanent Secretary Juhani Damski, Ministry of the Environment
Sustainability Director Anne Kaiser, Saint-Gobain Finland Oy
CEO Kalle Härkki, Resand Oy
Panel Discussion 2 (FI) – Health Technology (in Finnish, interpretation into English available for onsite participants)
Responsible Director Emilia Peltola, CLISHEAT Research Project, University of Turku, Finnish Environment Institute, Aalto University, and University of Helsinki
Permanent Secretary Veli-Mikko Niemi, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
CEO Saara Hassinen, Healthtech Finland
CEO Sanna Koskela, Nyanic Oy
Panel Discussion 3 (FI) – Hydrogen Economy (in Finnish, interpretation into English available for onsite participants)
Principal Investigator Samuli Urpelainen, H2MIRI, University of Oulu, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, and Tampere University
CEO Pasi Vainikka, Solar Foods Oy
Chair of the Steering Group Simo Säynevirta, Hydrogen Cluster Finland
CEO Tuuli Kaskinen, Climate Leadership Coalition
14.15 Networking Session and Refreshments: Pitches by RRF-funded projects and companies – (in Finnish and English depending on the pitch, onsite only)
Blue Lakes: Digitizing the Carbon Sink Potential of Boreal Lakes, Senior Scientist Karoliina Koho
Wipak: Renewable, Recyclable, Recycled – Sustainable Plastic Packaging, CEO Tuija Suur-Hamari
Sustainable and Autonomous Carbon-Neutral Aerial Ecosystems and Energy Solutions for Future Metropolises (AeroPolis), Co-PI Dr. Harry Edelman
Wärtsilä Oy, Senior Project Manager, Sustainable Fuels & Decarbonization Kenneth Widell
AI-Guided CO2 Conversion, Project Specialist Arpad Toldy
Neste Oy, Manager, Renewable Hydrogen Sonja Auvinen
Hiilineutraaliuden saavuttaminen alueellisella tasolla: päästö- ja luontotavoitteiden yhdennetty arviointi (C-NEUT) (in Finnish) / Achieving Carbon Neutrality at the Regional Level: Integrated Assessment of Emission and Biodiversity Goals (C-NEUT) , Research Professor Martin Forsius
Vaasa Zero Emission (WSTAR), Assistant Professor of Sustainable Automation Technology Petri Välisuo
Kuljetusrinki, CEO Markus Närhi
Climate-Smart Health Technologies: Impacts on the Carbon Footprint of Health Care, Researcher Atte Pitkänen
Cosmic Lounge Oy, CEO Tomi Huttula
From Primary Heating Source to Multifuel Heating: Finnish Single-Family Houses Become Hybrids of Complementary and Alternating Energy Systems (Digitally Mediated Decarbon Communities in Energy Transition), DSc Sini Numminen
Lounais-Suomen Jätehuolto, Project Manager Aki Honkanen
EasyDR - Enabling demand response through easy to use open source approach, Research Scientist VTT Essi Nousiainen
15.30 Event ends
The European Union's Recovery and Resilience Facility is part of the broader NextGenerationEU recovery plan, designed to address the immediate economic and social damages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Together with the EU's long-term budget, it constitutes the largest ever recovery package financed in Europe. The main objectives of NextGenerationEU are to revitalize the economy, create more jobs in Europe, and make the continent greener, more digital, and sustainable. Finland's allocation from the recovery instrument amounts to 1.82 billion euros.
RRF funding is intended for implementing reforms and investments that support both EU objectives and country-specific recommendations provided to member states. Finland's recovery and resilience plan are part of the country's Sustainable Growth Program, which is being executed by both the Academy of Finland and Business Finland.
Sustainable Growth Program for Finland (RRF)
