Oulun Energia is making progress by leaps and bounds – Finland's largest wind farm triples wind power production
Oulun Energia is progressing by leaps and bounds. It has become a partner in the largest wind farm project in Finland, to be built in Lestijärvi. "This is a big step towards carbon neutrality for the company," says Managing Director Juha Juntunen.
The shareholding triples Oulun Energia's wind power production compared to today: The amount of electricity coming from Lestijärvi to Oulun Energia corresponds to the annual electricity consumption of as many as 70,000 households (5,000 KWh/household).
“We believe that the need for electricity will increase considerably in the future. In addition, electricity prices are at such a level that the investment is profitable and the profit expectations are very good,” says Juha Juntunen, Managing Director of Oulun Energia.
The Swedish listed company OX2 is due to start building a wind farm in 2022. It is planned to produce electricity by 2025. The annual energy production will correspond to approximately two per cent of the total electricity production in Finland in 2020.
A big leap in production
Oulun Energia's share of the Lestijärvi project is 25 per cent. The other shareholders are Kymppivoima Oy and Kuopion Energia Oy.
“The shareholding in Lestijärvi wind farm is a big leap for us. We want Oulun Energia to have several routes to acquire wind power,” says Juntunen.
In recent years, Oulun Energia has purposefully increased its wind power production. Oulun Energia buys approximately one third of the electricity production of the Oltava wind farm in Pyhäjoki from Taaleri Energia Oy. The wind farm started to produce electricity in 2021. In addition, Oulun Energia receives wind power as share electricity from EPV Energia Oy's wind farms.
The annual electricity production of the Lestijärvi wind farm is estimated at approximately 1,300 GWh. Oulun Energia's share of production is one quarter, or about 320 GWh. For comparison, in 2021, the total amount of wind power produced by Oulun Energia through a purchase agreement or an associated company was 180 GWh. So it has tripled to 500 GWh.
In Juntunen's opinion, the investment in wind power supports the company's carbon neutrality goal. “Wind power is renewable and, in addition, it’s the most cost-effective way of producing electricity.”
Zoning and building permits are ready
The zoning of the Lestijärvi wind farm is ready, and the building permits for the area are valid. The wind farm will have 69 wind turbines with a height of 240 metres and a total output of approximately 420 megawatts. Oulun Energia's share of production is one quarter, or about 100 GWh.
Did you know?
The other shareholders of the Lestijärvi wind farm are also local energy companies. Kuopion Energia Oy is an energy company wholly owned by the City of Kuopio. Kymppivoima Oy is owned by local energy companies in different parts of Finland. OX2, which focuses on onshore wind power projects, has previously implemented more than a dozen wind farms in Finland.
This article was originally published in Oulun Energia's customer magazine 3/2021. Text Pirkko Koivu, photo Kati Leinonen.