Renewable energy projects

The Finnish Supervisory Agency serves as the single point of contact for renewable energy projects. We provide advice on permits and procedures relating to renewable energy projects. We also draw up schedules for  permit-granting procedures in cooperation with the project developer and various authorities. The schedules include deadlines for submitting applications related to permit procedures and time limits for the official process. 

We provide advice on renewable energy projects of all sizes. For example, the questions may concern heating or electricity production systems based on renewable energy in single-family houses, production of renewable energy on farms, or large, industrial-scale renewable energy production. 

Read more about the single point of contact

The Manual of procedures for renewable energy projects provides comprehensive information on permit processes and other administrative procedures for projects. See the bottom of this page for a link to the Manual of procedures.

Tasks of the single point of contact related to renewable energy are guided by the Act on Permitting Procedures and Certain Other Administrative Procedures for Renewable Power Plants (1145/2020). This Act is part of the national implementation of the EU RED II and RED III directives on promoting renewable energy use. The objective of the Act is to streamline the permit processes and certain other administrative procedures for renewable energy plants and to improve access to procedural advice. See the bottom of this page for links to the Act and directive. 

Renewable energy projects 

A renewable energy project may rely on wind and solar energy, geothermal energy, osmotic energy, energy from the environment, tidal and wave energy and other ocean energy, hydropower and biomass, as well as gas and biogas produced in landfills and wastewater treatment plants. A renewable energy plant may produce electricity, heat, cooling, biogas, biofuels or bioliquids. 

Renewable energy projects may include:

• heat pumps
• bio-CHP and bioheat plants
• biogas plants
• onshore and offshore wind turbines
• solar plants
• geothermal energy plants
• hydropower plants
• biofuel manufacturing plants
• hydrogen production plants
• energy storage (electricity, heat, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, etc.)
• energy transmission grids (electricity, biogas, hydrogen, etc.)
• use of osmotic energy. 

See also

• Permits and Supervision Service support site for authorities (in Finnish)
• Permits and Supervision Service for parties responsible for projects (in Finnish and in Swedish)
• Motiva's energy advice for consumers (in Finnish)
• Biogas safety instructions – Finnish Gas Association publication (in Finnish)
• Instructions for gas refuelling stations (pressurised and liquefied gas) – Finnish Gas Association Publication (in Finnish)
• Natural gas manual – Finnish Gas Association publication (in Finnish)
• Energy well – Tapping geothermal heat in single-family houses (Ministry of the Environment environmental guide 2013) (in Finnish)
• Landscape impact assessment in the construction of wind farms, Ministry of the Environment publications (2024/29) (in Finnish)
• Fire safety instructions for solar power systems, Rescue Department Partnership Network (in Finnish)
• Bioenergy Association of Finland
• Safety of hydrogen handling and storage, Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency
• Clean transition placement permit – instructions for permit procedure (doria.fi, ELY Centre publication) (in Finnish)
• Characteristics of a clean transition industrial facility – support material for clean transition land use processes (doria.fi, ELY Centre publication) (in Finnish)

Legislation

• Act on Permitting Procedures and Certain Other Administrative Procedures for Renewable Power Plants (1145/2020) (in Finnish and in Swedish)
• Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (Eurlex)

Files

• Manual of procedures for developers of renewable energy plants (pdf)

Contact information

By email [email protected]  

Customer service for environmental affairs

Service form: (link coming)
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: +358 295 256 920 (Monday–Friday 9:00–15:00)​