3.3 Finnish situation
According to the European directives, Finland has updated its regulations for fulfilling the requirements of the EU.
In this chapter are going to be studied the background of Finland about renewable energies, its climate situation to face solar energy installations and the regulations related with this subject.
3.3.1 Renewable energies in Finland
First of all, before analyzing the energy situation in Finland, the overall energy circumstances in Finland must be known. The information has been retrieved from the International Energy Agency (IEA), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Tilastokeskus [Statistics Finland].
Figure V.B.1 (inside Appendix V.B: Energy statistics in EU, section Energy statistics in Finlan) represents the evolution of the primary energy supply in Finland since 1972 till 2008. The primary energy supply in this year, 2008, was 35 Mtoe35 and is represented in Figure 3.3.1.
Figure 3.3.1. Share of the total primary energy supply in Finland in 2008.
In this graph can be seen that the combination of renewable energies and waste was the second primary energy supplied, with 22,5% of the total; and oil is still the first one, with 28,1%.
Besides, the energy production by Finland itself have increased during the past years, as can be seen in Figure V.B.2, being majorities the Nuclear energy and the combination of renewable and waste energy production.
However, it is interesting to know the energy consumed in Finland. Figure V.B.3 represents the evolution (1974-2008) of the final consumption by sector. As expected, Industries sector is the one that consumes more amount of energy. For better understanding of this consumption, Figure V.B.4 shows the breakdown of sectoral final consumption by source, comparing the situations in 1974 and in 2008.
(IEA/OECD, 2011)
35 Mtoe: Million tonnes of oil equivalent. The tonne of oil equivalent (toe) is a unit of energy, and it is described as the amount of energy released by burning one tonne of crude oil, approximately 42 GJ; the exact value of the toe is defined by convention.
Nowadays, the total
(Data retrieved from Table V.B.5)
Figure 3.3
As can be seen, the majority energy consumed come from non renewable energies.
(Statistics: Energy supply, consumption and prices [e
3.3.2 Energies used in
District heating is the most common form of heating in Finland. It is a natural and reliable heating method in densely built areas. District heating has been produced in Finland since the early 1950s.
It is available in
live in houses heated by district heat. District heating accounts for almost 50 per cent of the total heating market. The more densely built the area is and the larger the buildings, the more economical district heating is. Almost 95% of apartment buildings and most public and commercial buildings are connected to the district heating network.
single-family houses, just over 6% of the heating energy comes from district heat In the largest towns, the market share of district heating is more than 90%.
The superior energy efficiency and environmental compatibility of district heating are based especially on the fact that district heating utilises heat energy generated in electricity production (combined heat and power generation), and waste heat from industrial and other processes, etc., which would otherwise be wasted.
District heating fuels include natural and co-generated electricity)
energy sources, such as biogas. Almost 80% of district heating is obtained from heating plants producing heat and electricity (cogeneration), as surplus heat from industry or from biogas combusti
available. In such a case, district heat is produced in heating plants producing heat only, often using wood and other renewable fuels.
Coal
(Data retrieved from Table V.B.5).
3.3.2. Total energy consumption by source – Finland 2010
As can be seen, the majority energy consumed come from non renewable energies.
(Statistics: Energy supply, consumption and prices [e-publication], 2
Energies used in heating
District heating is the most common form of heating in Finland. It is a natural and reliable heating method in densely built areas. District heating has been produced in Finland since the early 1950s.
It is available in almost all towns and population centres. About 2.6 million Finns live in houses heated by district heat. District heating accounts for almost 50 per cent of the total heating market. The more densely built the area is and the larger the buildings, economical district heating is. Almost 95% of apartment buildings and most public and commercial buildings are connected to the district heating network.
family houses, just over 6% of the heating energy comes from district heat towns, the market share of district heating is more than 90%.
The superior energy efficiency and environmental compatibility of district heating are based especially on the fact that district heating utilises heat energy generated in n (combined heat and power generation), and waste heat from industrial and other processes, etc., which would otherwise be wasted.
District heating fuels include natural gas (was used to generate 35% of district heat generated electricity), coal, peat, oil, and increasingly wood and other renewable energy sources, such as biogas. Almost 80% of district heating is obtained from heating plants producing heat and electricity (cogeneration), as surplus heat from industry or from biogas combustion in landfills. At small localities, these heat sources are often not available. In such a case, district heat is produced in heating plants producing heat only, often using wood and other renewable fuels.
Oil
As can be seen, the majority energy consumed come from non renewable energies.
publication], 2011)
District heating is the most common form of heating in Finland. It is a natural and reliable heating method in densely built areas. District heating has been produced in almost all towns and population centres. About 2.6 million Finns live in houses heated by district heat. District heating accounts for almost 50 per cent of the total heating market. The more densely built the area is and the larger the buildings, economical district heating is. Almost 95% of apartment buildings and most public and commercial buildings are connected to the district heating network. In family houses, just over 6% of the heating energy comes from district heat.
towns, the market share of district heating is more than 90%.
The superior energy efficiency and environmental compatibility of district heating are based especially on the fact that district heating utilises heat energy generated in n (combined heat and power generation), and waste heat from industrial and other processes, etc., which would otherwise be wasted.
gas (was used to generate 35% of district heat , coal, peat, oil, and increasingly wood and other renewable energy sources, such as biogas. Almost 80% of district heating is obtained from heating plants producing heat and electricity (cogeneration), as surplus heat from industry or on in landfills. At small localities, these heat sources are often not available. In such a case, district heat is produced in heating plants producing heat only,
Wood fuels 21%
58 3.3. Finnish situation
Figure 3.3.3 Market shares of heating buildings, year 2007.
(Statistics Finland)
Customers receive heat through the hot water circulating in the district heating network. The hot water in the supply pipe releases heat to the heating and hot service water networks of the house with the customer’s heat exchanger. District heating water does not circulate in the heating and service water networks of the house.
(Energiateollisuus, 2011)
3.3.3 Finnish climate data
Before doing any calculation, the basic information that must be known about every country where a solar installation is going to be settled, is the climatologic situation, temperature, weather and solar irradiation.
A recompilation of monthly average values and extremes for the temperature during this period of time has been done. It is called "Tilastoja Suomen ilmastosta 1971-2000 - Climatological statistics of Finland 1971-2000".
Some of the tables included there show the monthly average values for pressure, precipitation, relative humidity and average of snow depth on the 15th and last day of the month. An example is shown in Table 3.3.1, where the information about Helsinki, the capital, is represented.
In this thesis a solar installation in Tampere is going to be analyzed. Then, it has to be considered that Tampere is in the north of Helsinki (60° 10`N 24° 56`E), in between Helsinki and Jyväskylä (62° 24`N 25° 40`E ) which is in the middle of Finland. Figure IV.B.1, included in Appendix IV.B: Climatic data in Finland, illustrates the different regions in Finland, so that the reader could understand where Tampere is located:
Helsinki is in the region of Uusimaa, Tampere is in Pirkanmaa, and Jyväskylä in Central Finland. Then, the temperature data in Tampere is more less an average between Helsinki and Jyväskylä, but closer to the last one, which data is shown in Table IV.B.1.
This is because they both are inland cities and with similar climate.
Table 3.3.1. Different temperature values measured in Helsinki (1971-2000).
In addition to the temperature, the precipitation data is also important, as it interferes in the solar energy received. Figure 3.3.4 shows the mean annual temperature (°C) on the left and the average annual precipitation (mm) on the right.
Figure 3.3.4. Mean annual temperature and precipitation in Finland.
Also, the wind data is important and should not be neglected, as it is one of the reasons for heat losses over solar collectors. The data about the wind distribution in Finland can be seen in Table IV.B.2.
Further, referring to the field of study of this thesis, the sun, it is important to mention that because of his geographical situation, Finland has plenty of sun hours in summer, but not in winter. This is well defined in Table IV.B.3.
The fact that this northern country has plenty of daylight hours is one of the reasons why Finland is now improving and setting more solar installations, to achieve the 20%
of energy from renewable energies that the EU dictates (European Union, 2009).
(Finnish Meteorological Institute, 2011)
60 3.3. Finnish situation Furthermore, the really useful data for this thesis is not only the amount of light, but the solar energy that is received by a collector. Table 3.3.4. in the next subchapter shows the irradiation in the city of Tampere over a horizontal surface.
3.3.4 Finnish regulations
The document Suomen rakentamismääräyskokoelma [Building Code of Finland]
gathers all the specifications that buildings and solar installations have to fulfil. In this thesis, not all the specifications are going to be mentioned36, but only the ones that are important and refers to what is going to be studied.
Primary energy consumption allowance
About energy efficiency of buildings (section D3 of the building code) is important emphasize that there is a limitation about energy consumption.
Table 3.3.2. Maximum annual primary energy consumption allowance [kWh/m2].
Type of building Floor area, Af [m2] [kWh/m2] per year
Educational and daycare centre building 170
Sports hall, excluding ice ring 170
Hospital 450
This energy limitation is shown in Table 3.3.2 and depends on the type of building and the heated floor area Af [m2].
If in this thesis the overall energy consumption for space heating and DHW altogether would be studied, this allowed primary energy consumption must have be done.
Climatic zones
For designing solar installations, the climate zone where the installation is going to be placed must be determined. Figure 3.3.5 represents these zones.
36 For further information, the Finnish building code is public information and is referenced in this thesis: (Rakennetun ympäristön osasto [Built Environment Division.], 2011). So any individual can consult it, the only problem is that this document is in Finnish.
Figure 3.3.5. Climatic zones in Finland.
Then, for each zone, Table 3.3.3 shows the design and the average outside air temperatures.
Table 3.3.3. Design and average outdoor air temperatures for each climate zone.
Climatic zone Design outdoor air temperature [ºC]
Average outdoor air temperature [ºC]
I -26 5,4
II -29 4,7
III -32 3,3
IV -38 -0,3
And about solar irradiation, the Finnish building code in the calculations section (section D5) shows the real data measured in zones I and II, represented in Table 3.3.4.
Those zones are important because one of the houses object of study is going to be placed in Tampere, and therefore, in zone II.
This data will be compared with the one provided in the database of the software that is going to use for the analyses, to check the veracity of the calculations based on irradiation of the software.
62 3.4. Spanish situation