Energy policy – the green transition is essential to companies and households

Our goal is that Finland is self-sufficient in energy in 2025. This requires wind power construction everywhere in Finland.

SDP aims at decentralised and secure energy production that utilises various technologies. In energy policy, predictability arises from clear long-term goals, technology-neutral regulation and interactive and smooth licensing processes. The primary regulatory instrument in seeking emissions reduction is the development of emissions trading, but supplementary methods are also needed. The choice of emissions reduction methods must be cost-effective, taking into account the commercial potential of the selected methods. In the electrification of society, increasing production of clean electricity and the sufficient coverage and capacity of transmission networks must be ensured.

We will promote the implementation of new technologies

Funding of pilot plants, development of licencing processes before the first commercial projects, and strengthening the energy transmission infrastructure are means to promote the implementation of technologies developed in Finnish companies and research institutes. The commercial exploitation of, for example, energy efficiency solutions, small modular reactors, offshore wind power, electro-fuels, and industrial side streams must be advanced. There are great opportunities for Finnish industry in tackling climate change outside of our own country. Solutions created by Finnish companies can significantly reduce emissions and fight climate change. Measuring this so-called climate handprint should be developed.

To reduce the risks of the multi-billion-euro investments required annually in the energy sector, the public sector needs to, when necessary, address market gaps by participating in the realisation of investments as an owner. Joint projects of private and public parties can also accumulate necessary know-how of the planning and implementation of big projects. In addition to the know-how, another bottleneck in the energy industry is in land use planning, which needs to be streamlined.

All significant industry sectors have made low-carbon roadmaps to 2035. The work set out in these roadmaps must be continued in the future, and they offer a good starting point for future work and updates. The realisation of many of the roadmaps depends on how companies manage to make the right investments and how policy measures can support the low-carbon work.

A separate 12-year development programme will be drawn up at parliamentary level for the development of industrial infrastructure. The programme will respond to, for example, the increasing demand for the utilisation and storage of domestic energy.

We will curb the rise of household electricity prices

The price of electricity has risen substantially in recent years. This has been reflected in consumers’ electricity bills as high prices, price increases, and an upward pressure on prices. The upward pressure has also been realised as unfair contractual situations when traders have unilaterally terminated contracts with a price ceiling.

It must be possible to intervene in the rising prices. This calls for measures aiming at energy production self-sufficiency and relief in situations where a large electricity bill or contractual situation faced by a consumer results in unreasonable hardship. Solutions adopted during this winter to curb electricity prices must be developed further and similar measures to intervene in unreasonable prices must exist in the future.

It must be made sure that sufficient affordable alternatives are available in the market. Households and housing companies are supported in shifting to more affordable and low-emission forms of energy and improving energy efficiency. The flaws in the contractual practices in the energy sector must be addressed. Legislation must be amended so that advance billing it is not possible and electricity contracts cannot be made more than three months prior to their entering into force. It must be possible for end-users to get just one invoice for both electricity transmission and use.