Finnish electricity system operator Fingrid has published a draft grid development plan for 2022-2031. The document raises the forecasts for the growth of wind power energy.

The document is based on regional grid plans, prepared in cooperation with the operator’s partners and customers. Project feedback and comments can be sent to Fingrid until August 31, 2021.

As the operator points out in the press release, one of Fingrid’s main tasks is to develop the electricity grid to meet the needs of customers and society. The long-term development of the grid ensures that the transmission infrastructure as well as the entire power system will meet the requirements of the changing environment.

The plans published by Fingrid take into account changes in the energy environment and are intended to prepare the power system for future needs. It also takes into account the Baltic Sea Region Development Plan and the Pan-European Ten-Year Network Development Plan (TYNDP). The plan also raises the importance of international cooperation in the development of the power grid, particularly in the Baltic Sea region.

In the draft plan, Fingrid points out that the electricity system is currently undergoing an unprecedented transformation, where the electricity generation mix is becoming low-carbon at a rapid pace and at the same time more dependent on the weather. In addition, there are such elements as the construction of renewable energy sources in the Baltic Sea and rapid technological development. Between 2022 and 2031, Fingrid will invest around EUR 2.1 billion, or over EUR 200 million per year.

At the end of 2020, the capacity of wind farms in Finland was 2,586 MW, which gave an annual energy production of 7.8 TWh.

Fingrid prepares for significant growth in wind power

Source: Fingrid

Wind turbines covered about 10 percent of the country’s electricity production. The project raised the forecasts for the growth of wind energy. Energy will be produced mainly onshore, but there is also a significant development of offshore wind energy, especially towards the end of this decade. The operator estimates that wind energy in Finland will grow annually by 1000 MW after 2020, which would give 10-15 GW of installed capacity in 2030. This corresponds to an energy production of 33-53 TWh. As a result, wind energy can cover 30-50 percent of Finland’s total energy consumption around 2030.

More: Fingrid report “Grid development plan 2022-2031”, epressi.com.