Vörå municipality in Finland - A forerunner in biomass heating

Johan Wasberg, Merinova, Finland

Presentation at: managEnergy Workshop on Biomass utilisation at local and regional level 4-5 February 2003, Bratislava, Slovakia

Slides | Case Study (29 Kb) | Proceedings

Abstract

Vörå municipality located in the Ostrobothnia region in Western Finland is a forerunner in the use of biomass for heating purposes. Since 1993 the municipality has worked towards conversion of all municipal buildings to biomass heating. By 2003 around 95% of the buildings will be heated with biomass. This has been possible thanks to long term political commitment, foresighted and motivated officials, the use of various types of heating systems such as heating entrepreneurship, wood chips heating, and wood pellet heating. The case shows that an energy strategy may be more effective than a detailed energy plan, and that positive experiences in the public sector also spread to the private sector.