Heat entrepreneurship from the Finnish countryside to the Estonian countryside – international information exchange and cooperation promoting renewable energy in the rural areas: VISU – Heat entrepreneurship -project final publication 2021
Viljanen, Anne (2021)
Viljanen, Anne
Editoija
Lauhanen, Risto
Viirimäki, Juha
Alakoskela, Matti
Seinäjoen ammattikorkeakoulu
2021
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2021121660872
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2021121660872
Tiivistelmä
Estonia and Finland are connected by a long and friendly history and culture. Both countries have large quantities of forests and share similar climate conditions. Thereby the transnational bioenergy and energy efficiency related project was prepared between the countries. The special characteristics of the VISU-project is its structure, in which both countries stakeholders are financed by the sources nationally available for them, but share similar timeline and goals, thus forming each other supporting sister projects. In the Finnish side the VISU Heat entrepreneurship project has been realised from 1st of March in 2017 to 31st of December 2021 Thermopolis ltd., Finnish Forest Centre and Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences. The financier of the project has been the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment’s European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. The Estonian sister projects have been funded by the Mooste mansion foundation Mooste Mõis SA and a cooperative Kõpu PM Oü situated in Kõpu.
The VISU project has been based on an earlier project of the Finnish Forest Centre called HECSO project, in which the information in relation to the South Ostrobothnia skill cluster on heat entrepreneurship was internationalised. In the VISU project the knowhow of South Ostrobothnia on heat entrepreneurship was transferred to the countryside of Estonia. Prior to the project heat entrepreneurship business model was relatively unknown in Estonia. In Estonia two small and rural municipalities were the target sites, namely Mooste and Kõpu. In the mansion areas of these municipalities model energy audits were conducted to selected buildings. Additionally, in the regions of Põlvamaa and Viljandi the heat entrepreneurship business model was widely communicated.
International networks and information exchange was promoted by organising bioenergy field trips between Finland and Estonia, by participating on Tartu Maamess fair and spreading related knowledge there. Also, two events were organised in the project, one in Finland and one in Estonia. First, in Seinäjoki and more broadly in the South Ostrobothnia area two day International Bioenergy Days were organised in 10th – 11th of October in 2018. In Kõpu, Estonia Kõpu Forest Bioenergy Day was organised. Additionally, international networks were also built to other European countries.
The project accomplished to clarify the view on the different countries energy auditing systems for the Finnish and Estonian participants. The differences and the similarities between the systems became clearer. This knowledge is valuable when the systems are being developed. The project accomplished to promote installing of renewable energy in Estonia. Based on the created international networks in the project new international projects were formed. In the Estonian target group, the awareness of the heat entrepreneurship business model increased significantly. VISU project is an excellent example of the importance of transnational information exchange projects on the way to a carbon neutral society.
The VISU project has been based on an earlier project of the Finnish Forest Centre called HECSO project, in which the information in relation to the South Ostrobothnia skill cluster on heat entrepreneurship was internationalised. In the VISU project the knowhow of South Ostrobothnia on heat entrepreneurship was transferred to the countryside of Estonia. Prior to the project heat entrepreneurship business model was relatively unknown in Estonia. In Estonia two small and rural municipalities were the target sites, namely Mooste and Kõpu. In the mansion areas of these municipalities model energy audits were conducted to selected buildings. Additionally, in the regions of Põlvamaa and Viljandi the heat entrepreneurship business model was widely communicated.
International networks and information exchange was promoted by organising bioenergy field trips between Finland and Estonia, by participating on Tartu Maamess fair and spreading related knowledge there. Also, two events were organised in the project, one in Finland and one in Estonia. First, in Seinäjoki and more broadly in the South Ostrobothnia area two day International Bioenergy Days were organised in 10th – 11th of October in 2018. In Kõpu, Estonia Kõpu Forest Bioenergy Day was organised. Additionally, international networks were also built to other European countries.
The project accomplished to clarify the view on the different countries energy auditing systems for the Finnish and Estonian participants. The differences and the similarities between the systems became clearer. This knowledge is valuable when the systems are being developed. The project accomplished to promote installing of renewable energy in Estonia. Based on the created international networks in the project new international projects were formed. In the Estonian target group, the awareness of the heat entrepreneurship business model increased significantly. VISU project is an excellent example of the importance of transnational information exchange projects on the way to a carbon neutral society.