The Neoen Group's mission is to leave a mark on the possibility of a better world. This is pursued not only through renewable energy (wind and solar) and electricity storage, but also through sustainable local cooperation and corporate values.

French-based Neoen, now the world's largest independent renewable energy producer, currently operates in 17 countries. Its two largest markets are Australia and France, with Finland following close behind in third place. Miika Pilli, Project Development Director at Neoen Finland, explains the background to Finland's interest.

- Finland has been successful in its energy policy, which emphasises renewable energy sources, says Pilli.

- That's why there are so many promising targets here for us to invest in. We only make industrial-scale investments in all our business areas, namely wind, solar and electricity storage.

Neoen already has large installations operating in Finland, such as Finland's largest wind farm (404 MW), located in Mutkalampi, and a 30 MW/30 MWh battery storage facility in Yllikkälä, Lappeenranta. Neoen has just taken the decision to build a second battery (56 MW / 113 MWh), the largest in the Nordic countries and the first two-hour battery.

- We have a lot of sites under construction and planned in Finland," says Pilli.

- Each investment is carefully considered, and we carry out a comprehensive preliminary study that takes into account the connection to the electricity grid, the planning situation in the area and the amount of wind and sunshine. The installations are made from start to finish by the company itself.

Pilli says it has been easy to work with the City of Lappeenranta on both planning and permitting issues.

- The Lappeenranta region, like the rest of Finland in general, welcomes renewable energy projects, and the fact that Fingrid had space and need for our storage facility on its grid was a particular plus here.

The company takes every project seriously and wants to be on site as much as possible during construction. Neoen's power plants and storage facilities also remain under the company's control after construction, which is part of good and responsible management. The company is also involved in many ways in local sustainability projects, such as biodiversity projects or nature trails.

- Naturally, we use the services of local entrepreneurs to build our facilities," says Pilli.

- Now, in the case of Lappeenranta, we have also set up an office in the city to ensure smooth communication during construction.

The company currently employs around 30 people in Helsinki and Lappeenranta, but opening new offices if necessary is a low threshold.

The company's values drive commitment

Pilli is from Lappeenranta, and Neoen is not his first renewable energy job in the region.

- I already worked in Lappeenranta in the field of renewable energy before, as did a few other Neoen employees, so I have expertise in both energy solutions and local life," she says.

- Another thing that unites some Neoen employees is a degree from LUT University, which has world-class expertise in electricity and energy.

Pilli is happy in Lappeenranta and doesn't see travelling as a problem. He travels both within Finland and to other Neoen countries. They want to harness all the company's know-how, either directly or by application, in all market areas. Recently, Pilli has, among other things, explored innovative solutions for virtual inertia in Australia.

- We have an atmosphere of trust throughout the company," says Pilli.

- Management listens to the views of local experts and trusts their analyses and suggestions. This makes working rewarding, also here in Finland, where there are plenty of sites to invest in.

This refers to another pillar of corporate governance: it all comes down to people.

There is a need for stored electricity in the region

The first battery storage facility in Yllikkälä has been in operation for more than three years now. It operates primarily on Fingrid's frequency regulation market. In addition, the battery was used during the commissioning phase of Olkiluoto 3, when Finland urgently needed a reactor for production due to the prevailing global situation.

- The idea behind the battery storage is that the batteries discharge and recharge electricity according to the situation," says Pilli.

- The battery reacts to fluctuations in production and consumption on the grid according to Fingrid's needs.

Pilli is pleased that the new electricity storage facility will also be connected to Fingrid's grid, because there is a need for it.

With wind power construction having long been a headwind in eastern Finland, battery projects have been important to Neoen here in Lappeenranta. Solar and wind power are also growing and the company plans to introduce hybrid plants using wind and/or solar energy and storage in the future.

- In the Lappeenranta area, wind power is of course problematic because of the defence radars, but this does not prevent other investments.

- Storage facilities are easy investments in the sense that they do not require much space and land use issues are therefore easy to solve.

Further information:

Miika Pilli, Project Development Manager
miika.pilli@neoen.com
Neoen Finland website