Finland's greentech and its secret Chinese ingredient

Finland is producing more clean electricity than ever before. But in the far north, even the best renewable plans run into a simple reality: wind and solar don't always arrive exactly when people need power most.

In winter, Finland has only a few hours of daylight. Solar generation peaks earlier and drops quickly. Wind can be strong one moment and softer the next. Yet demand often surges in the evening — when families get home, businesses are still running, and more drivers plug in.

That's where electricity storage comes in — and why Finland–China cooperation is becoming a practical win-win.

Batteries can store clean electricity when it's plentiful, then release it later when demand rises. They help smooth out the ups and downs, making renewable energy feel steadier and more reliable — not just on sunny or windy days, but every day.

And Chinese technology is playing a constructive role in that shift.

Huang Dong, Managing Director at CF International Oy, says manufacturers in China are producing Battery Energy Storage Systems — often known as BESS — and some already have established marketing and business operations in Finland. For Finnish projects, that means access to large-scale equipment and a supply chain that can deliver at speed.

In Helsinki, the idea is simple: don't waste the wind and the sun. Batteries work like a sponge — soaking up clean electricity when it's abundant and releasing it later, when demand climbs. It's an approach that supports Finland's broader push for energy security, affordability, and lower emissions.

This cooperation is also backed by policy. Finland and China have a Joint Action Plan running until 2029, aimed at deeper collaboration on smart networks, energy efficiency and greener heating and cooling.

Finland's transition is already well advanced. Riku Huttunen, Director General for Energy at Finland's Ministry of Economic Affairs, says the country is "quite far in transition", with around 95 percent of electricity non-fossil and more than 80 percent of heat already cleaner — and that Finland has cooperated with China on renewables, efficiency, and smart solutions.

Now, the battery side is scaling up too.

In Nurmijärvi, one of Finland's largest electricity storage systems has been commissioned — a lithium-ion facility built from container-sized modules. Projects like this strengthen grid stability and help integrate more renewable generation without sacrificing reliability.

Huttunen describes it under one theme: flexibility — energy storage, energy efficiency, and helping industry become more adaptable in how it uses power.

For Finland, the next step is clear: more renewables — and more storage to make them work smoothly, hour by hour. And with China involved, the story is increasingly about turning shared goals into real-world, scalable solutions.