Now is the time to put energy use Down a Degree

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to an energy crisis in Europe, which is reflected in soaring energy bills. Saving energy is a particularly fast and effective way to relieve the energy crisis and save money.

People in Finland have already made a good start in saving energy: according to the main grid operator Fingrid, electricity usage in September was down by seven per cent over the year before. The Citizens’ Pulse survey, published in September, found that almost nine out of ten people in Finland said they were saving energy.

“It’s impressive to see how quickly people in Finland have taken to using energy-saving methods. The coming winter will be a test for us all and everyone’s effort will be needed,” says Sitra’s President Jyrki Katainen.

Sitra is participating in the national Down a Degree energy saving campaign, which encourages people, companies and other organisations to save energy through everyday actions.

The revised goal of the campaign is to persuade at least 95 per cent of Finnish households to save energy and to smooth out peaks in the use of electricity. The long-term goal is to permanently reduce energy use.

By saving energy, we will ensure sufficient electricity supply in Finland and curb the rise of energy prices. It is also a concrete way to prevent the threat of rotating blackouts.

There are many effective measures you can take – it’s now time to use them

Particularly effective energy saving measures include lowering the room temperature, using hot water sparingly and driving more slowly.

It is especially important to cut the consumption of electricity during peak hours  of 8–10 and 16–20 on working days.

For information about the energy saving methods best suited to your personal circumstances, visit the Down a Degree campaign website.

Households have an important role to play in saving energy, but they are not responsible for doing so alone. Central government, companies and various organisations are also involved. More than 540 organisations  have already signed up to the campaign and are committed to concrete energy actions.

The campaign organisers are also involved in the energy saving effort. For example, Senate Properties, the company responsible for government real estate, is launching an extensive energy saving programme in government properties. The amount of energy that will be saved corresponds to the annual consumption of about 3,750 single family houses with electric heating.

Sitra launches a call for ideas on energy-saving data solutions

New data-based solutions can play a role in tackling the energy crisis. In October, Sitra is launching an open a call for ideas for using data to curb energy use. The aim is to find new solutions that use open data or the data of individuals and organisations so as to save energy and smooth consumption peaks.

The aim of the call for solutions is to find viable pilot projects, for which Sitra will provide development funding.

Sitra has also launched energy saving measures such as lowering indoor temperatures, using hot water sparingly and making better use of building technology for lighting and air conditioning in its Helsinki offices.