National stakeholders convened on 14 April 2025 in Finland for a roundtable on renewable heating and cooling (RHC), organized by the RHC-ETIP platform in collaboration with EGEC and supported by consortium partners EUREC, SHE, EHP, EHPA, and WIP. The event aimed to explore Finland’s transition towards a 100% renewable H&C system.
Event Overview and Technology Focus
Moderated by Giulia Cittadini, Policy Advisor at EGEC, the roundtable featured presentations and discussions addressing the specific climatic, market, and societal conditions of Finland. Leonie Kuhlmann, Policy Assistant at EGEC, opened the session with an introduction to the RHC-ETIP platform, detailing its accelerator tools and project database.
A key session led by Andrej Misech, Project Manager at EUREC, outlined EU and national funding mechanisms available to support RHC projects.
Expert Insights on RHC Technologies
Teppo Arola, Chief Expert in Geoenergy at the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK), emphasized the integration of geothermal energy into district heating and cooling systems. He pointed to the advantages of adopting 4th and 5th generation technologies to improve system efficiency.
Jussi Hirvonen, Executive Director of the Finnish Heat Pump Association, highlighted Finland’s strong heat pump market. He discussed the sector’s potential to convert oil heating systems in large buildings—such as shopping centers—into geothermal-based systems, noting the importance of innovative business models.
Bioenergy’s role was presented by Hannes Tuohiniitty, Sector Manager at the Bioenergy Association of Finland. He underlined biomass’s contribution to Finland’s renewable energy mix and its continued relevance for district heating applications.
Innovative Geothermal Solutions and Market Challenges
Rami Niemi, Founder and CTO of QHeat, introduced the company's coaxial reversible medium-deep geothermal heat well technology. He emphasized its potential for large-scale electrification of thermal energy, but also cited funding as the main barrier to market expansion.
Stakeholder Dialogue and Future Outlook
The concluding Q&A session addressed public acceptance of geothermal systems and outlined research priorities for bioenergy. The roundtable closed with a call for knowledge-sharing across RHC technologies and promoted the upcoming RHC annual event, Collaborative Pathways to Sustainable Heating and Cooling, scheduled for 7 May 2025.
"The Finnish case shows how diverse renewable technologies can complement each other in a resilient heating and cooling future," said Giulia Cittadini, EGEC Policy Advisor.