Energy Conservation Agreements 1997-2007

Commitment to long-term energy conservation through agreements

The energy conservation agreements currently in force are framework agreements, under which sector associations undertake to promote energy conservation and encourage their membership to join in the energy conservation agreement scheme. Companies and communities subscribing to the agreements undertake to carry out energy audits or analyses in their own properties and production plants, to draw up an energy conservation plan, and to implement cost-effective conservation measures.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry undertakes to subsidise energy audits and analyses, as well as energy conservation investments fulfilling certain criteria. With regard to housing properties, responsibility for audit subsidies and assistance for improvements in energy economy rests with the Ministry of the Environment. Motiva is responsible for administration and monitoring of the agreements.

Energy conservation agreements contain action programmes agreed between ministries and sector associations, aiming at improving energy efficiency in the sectors covered by the agreements.

The municipal energy and climate agreement is the only one of the agreements also explicitly covering use of renewable energies. In the other agreement sectors, attention has been drawn to renewable energies by relevant questions attached to annual reporting.

Voluntary agreements play crucial role in climate strategy

Voluntary Energy Conservation Agreements played a crucial role in implementing energy efficiency under the National Climate Strategy (2001) and the associated Energy Conservation Programme (2003-2006). The target was to achieve about a quarter of Finland's greenhouse gas reduction targets by 2010 through energy efficiency measures.

In the updated National Energy and Climate Strategy currently in force, approved by the Government in November 2005, the Energy Conservation Agreements are still deemed to be an important means of reaching the climate targets.

Agreement scheme continues

The majority of the voluntary energy conservation agreements signed mainly in 1997 were due to expire at the end of 2005. Based on evaluation of the agreement scheme and feedback received from the field, it was decided that the agreements would be extended by two years. The truck and van transport scheme was also similarly extended.

Unlike the other agreements, ASRA’s agreement on housing properties extends to the end of 2012, and the latest agreement concerning public transport until the end of 2010. The Höylä II co-operation programme on furthering energy conservation in oil-heated properties also continues to the end of 2007, as originally planned.

Energy Conservation Agreements – Progress Review 2005 (pdf) (100.4 KB)