Solar power projects planned for every region in mainland Finland
Solar power projects are being planned in each of the 18 regions of mainland Finland. The projects are concentrated in southern and western Finland. Solar power complements wind power both in terms of timing and location, supporting the balance of the electricity grid and strengthening vitality in different parts of Finland. Based on Finland's renewable energy project data, a total of 313 solar power projects are planned across the country.
Solar power projects are planned in all 18 provinces of mainland Finland. The largest number of projects is planned in Satakunta, where there are 29 projects. Next come Northern Ostrobothnia (28 projects), Southern Ostrobothnia (27), Southwest Finland (26 projects), and Uusimaa (22 projects). A total of 313 projects are currently underway in Finland.
The planned solar power projects are concentrated in Southern and Western Finland, where the capacity of the electricity grid and land use opportunities support large-scale projects. The number of projects is also growing rapidly in Northern Ostrobothnia, while in Eastern and Northern Finland there are fewer projects so far, but they are often large in scale.
"Southern Finland has particularly good conditions for solar power, which is also reflected in the geographical distribution of the projects currently being planned. The sun shines most in the south, there is plenty of land suitable for construction, and it is easy to connect to the electricity grid," says Klaara Tapper, Head of Renewable Energy Advocacy at Finnish Renewable Energy.
Wind and solar power complement each other perfectly. Whereas wind power generates the most in the fall and winter, solar power is concentrated in the spring and summer months. In addition, solar power projects are located in different provinces than wind power projects, which diversifies energy production and brings jobs and property tax revenue to different parts of Finland. At the same time, a more diverse renewable energy structure supports a more even load on the electricity grid and improves security of supply.
The municipality with the most solar power projects at present is Mikkeli, with seven. Next come Kankaanpää and Kokemäki, with six projects each. Five projects are underway in Alajärvi, Loviisa, and Hausjärvi. Four projects are planned in Nivala, Joroinen, Kemiönsaari, Loimaa, and Orimattila. The largest solar power capacity is planned for Kauhajoki (942 MW) and Kouvola (900 MW).
