Five demonstration projects proposed in energy cooperation between Finland and China

HELSINKI, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- Five demonstration projects have been selected to be the candidates for the next stage of the cooperation between Finland and China in the energy sector, according to a press release issued by the Finnish government on Wednesday.

Finland has engaged in long-term efforts to build cooperation with China to boost a sustainable energy economy, said the Finnish government in the release, adding that the projects nominated this year will continue such efforts.

The implementation of the joint projects is based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and China's National Energy Administration signed in June 2017.

"The practical implementation of the MoU between the energy administrations of Finland and China is based on the promotion of concrete projects. The nomination of five new projects as proposed demonstration projects is an important step in this work," said Juho Korteniemi, Chief Specialist at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

The nominated projects of Finnish and Chinese energy companies and other operators will focus on renewable and low-emission energy production and new innovations in the sector.

The cooperation at the company level is coordinated by Business Finland, a public organization under the Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy, and the Cooperation at the company level is coordinated by Business Finland and China's Electric Power Planning and Engineering Institute.

"We are closely monitoring the progress of the projects this year," said Maria Ala-Kaila, a senior advisor at Business Finland. With China's growth potential in the energy sector, companies will benefit from these projects, as they have two countries backing them, she said.

The chosen projects will receive the status of a so-called demonstration project in China when they move to the implementation phase, said the Finnish government.

As the first phase of the cooperation between Finland and China in the energy sector, four pilot projects were announced during Finnish President Sauli Niinisto's state visit to China in January 2019.