Lappeenranta is showing the rest of Finland how to implement joint solar power system contracts

Lappeenranta is showing the rest of Finland how to implement joint solar power system contracts

The theme of WWF’s Earth Hour City Challenge in week 23 is buildings.

Director Ilkka Räsänen of Lappeenranta Region Environmental Office sends a reminder that building energy-efficiency can be enhanced, for example, by installing solar panels. Lappeenranta has Finland’s highest number of on-grid solar power systems per resident (kWp/10,000 residents). If the owner’s own solar panels produce more electricity than they need , Lappeenrannan Energia Oy buys the surplus electricity from them.

– Pioneering work for solar panels has been done in South Karelia by Vesa-Matti Puro. Largely due to his activeness, an exceptionally high number of joint contracts and installations of solar panels for private households have been made in our region, says Räsänen.

Vesa-Matti Puro became inspired by solar power in 2012. The inspiration came from finding out about the energy solutions of his yacht club.

– Attending a seminar on the threats of climate change organised by Tekes (the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation) made me realise that concrete action needs to be taken. Professor of Electrical Engineering Jero Ahola at the Lappeenranta University of Technology finally convinced me, says Puro.

Puro carried out the first joint contract with Petri Savolainen in 2013. After that, joint contracts have been carried out for private persons four times. In total, these joint contracts have brought more than 800 kWp of solar electric power to Finland.

A joint contract covers planning, ordering, instructing and building, as well as work safety and deployment.

– By now, I’ve developed a routine for the whole process. We are currently implementing our fifth joint contract. Joint purchasing of all the necessary supplies is included in the contract, however, the principle is that everyone who orders the contract does as much as possible on the site as they can. Then, an electrician comes and connects the system to the grid. We also offer the equipment, software and internet connection for monitoring electricity production and consumption, Vesa Matti Puro adds.

Puro estimates that, in general, the monitoring of electricity production and consumption has also clearly increased interest in energy issues among property owners who have installed solar panels.

– After the installation, they have paid more attention to the energy-efficiency of their house as a whole, in addition to charting their renovation needs. Many have installed additional insulation, switched to a geothermal heating system or renovated their kitchen and, in addition, interest in electric vehicles has also increased. In general, the energy consumption level reduces after the installation of solar panels because people start to monitor it more.

Lappeenranta is the only Finnish city participating in WWF’s Earth Hour City Challenge, in which it competes for people’s votes for their favourite city along with 44 other finalist cities. The competition is designed to spur cities to take action to prevent climate change.

People can vote for their favourite city until 19 June. Share what you love about Lappeenranta on social media, #weloveLappeenranta.

Further information

Lappeenranta Region Environmental Office
Director Ilkka Räsänen
tel. +358 400 815 284
ilkka.rasanen@lappeenranta.fi

Vesa-Matti Puro
tel. +358 440 396 461
vesamattipuro@gmail.com

Further information on joint solar power system contracts is available at aurinkovirta.fi