EPV WIND POWER AND NEW TECHNOLOGY

The objective of EPV Wind’s business activities is to increase the share of emission-free energy generation in the Group.

EPV Energy has grown into one of the most significant suppliers of wind power in Finland. The meteoric technological development of the sector is an indication of a great future.

2018 was a great year for EPV’s wind power business in many ways. The largest wind power farm in the country was completed in Metsälä, Kristinestad in the spring. At the same time, EPV celebrated its ten year journey in industrial scale wind power production.

The sector has seen tremendous technological developments in the last ten years. For example, the hub height of wind turbines and swept area of wind turbine blades have almost doubled. Productivity development has been up to ten per cent per year. Production costs have also fallen considerably, which has resulted in wind power becoming the most affordable way on the market to produce electricity. At the end of 2018, wind power was already producing approximately one sixth of EPV’s electricity procurement.

The favourable development of this sector means that EPV will continue to invest heavily in wind power. At the end of 2018, EPV had as many building plots for future wind power farms as it had completed ones. It already has legally valid building permits for 80 new turbines and, if they were completed with today’s technology, they would produce significantly more electricity than the 82 power plants currently in use.

Wind power is currently at the threshold of market consistency. In the future, system and adjustment costs will play an integral role in how many wind power projects it is possible to carry out.

The development of EPV wind power
over the last 10 years

The development of EPV wind power companies’ industrial scale wind power farms:

The operating lives of turbines have also increased: the previous goal was 20 years, whereas now it is 25–30 years.

Solar power and energy storage
have landed on EPV’s desk

The success story and unexpectedly quick development of wind power has taught us to respond with an open mind to the possibility of solar power, and also energy storage, becoming everyday technologies. EPV is preparing itself for the possibility that these will become financially profitable in the future.

The challenges of seasonal and production variation of renewable energy sources still require a secure solution. At EPV, we are researching and monitoring industrial scale energy storage and its development. As the scale of energy storage for industry is so large, there is no one technology as yet that triumphs over all the others. Therefore continued research and development is needed.

As with wind power, the favourable cost development of solar power generation has been extremely strong. In the sunny conditions of Southern Europe and the equator, solar energy is already the most affordable way to produce electricity. In the northern climate of Finland, there are some natural drawbacks.

EPV has started its own separate measuring facility for studying solar power in Vuorenneva, Alavus. At this facility, we measure solar radiation and the output of solar panels to gain experience and knowledge about solar power in Finland for industrial use. At the same time, we are learning what needs to be taken into account in the future when building a solar power farm.

As this technology develops, Finland may become, despite its northern location, a moderate producer of solar energy as part of a broader range of energy production.

Wind power for EPV Energia