Unofficial calculations indicate that the part of renewable energy in Finland will increase to 40 % until the year 2020. The corresponding target for the whole EU is 20 %. Demand for wood based raw materials will increase for both heating, traffic and electricity production.

The increased use of bio-energy constitutes a challenge for forest management, and offers good opportunities for an active and appropriate exploitation of wood resources. Mr Ilpo Mattila, responsible official for energy matters in the Finnish Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK), says that developing the necessary new technologies is an urgent task. Increased processing of wood based raw materials means better business opportunities at the beginning of the production and processing chain and thus more jobs in rural areas.
 Mr Mattila says that there will be no shortage of raw materials in Finland. For example, no more than 2.5 million m3 of wood are needed for achieving a 5.75 % share for bio-fuels of all traffic fuels consumed in the country. That is the target that the EU has set for the Member States for the year 2010. For 2020 the corresponding target is 10 %.
At present the annual total growth of Finnish forests is almost 100 million m3 and consumption for industrial purposes is not more than 55 million m3 a year.
For further information, please contact Mr Ilpo Mattila, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.