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The Finnish partner of the SME POWER Interreg Europe project, the City of Heinola, is organising the 2nd Regional Energy Stakeholder Group meeting in the form of an open webinar, titled ‘’New growth from energy efficiency and renewables’’. The virtual session will address tools and good practices to support adaptation of energy efficiency technologies among the region’s SMEs and industry. The City of Heinola is hosting the event in co-operation with the RESINDUSTRY project, implemented in the same region as SME POWER with synergic goals and aims.
During Spring 2020, COVID-19 has affected all spheres of society and business life – including the practical implementation of SME POWER and RESINDUSTRY projects in Finland, with planned events being postponed or organised with certain limitations. Regional SMEs, RDI and support organisations remain busy with tackling issues that have arisen due to the Coronavirus, and at the same time, regular development activities have been temporarily reoriented or even suspended. SME POWER partners of the City of Heinola also had to rethink and adapt their original plans for the regional stakeholder meeting.
Under continuing partial lockdown and strict gathering restrictions, the City of Heinola decided to deliver an open webinar for regional stakeholders and other interested parties with a “lighter”, more summer oriented twist – yet still with the intention of keeping the matter of energy efficiency alive. A representative of Business Finland, the leading governmental financier of SME RDI and energy investments, will present current financing opportunities for increasing energy efficiency and the use of renewables in SMEs and industry. The second topics of the virtual session will address the calculation of carbon footprint in buildings and processes as a tool for making the benefits of energy efficiency investments visible. After a Q&A session, the webinar will conclude with brief overview and discussion of good practices to support SMEs and industry in adapting energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies in the needed shift towards a low carbon economy.
The webinar language is Finnish, but stay tuned – an English summary blog will be published and distributed shortly after the event. The City of Heinola also hopes that the next meeting, scheduled for Autumn 2020, can take place face-to-face. Virtual meetings are here to stay, but in-person contact and discussions are highly valued for the purpose of connecting with the Regional Stakeholder Group and SMEs.
Sunny and safe summer greetings from Finland to all our partners and friends!