Advancing of circular economy both in our own activities and in the Scouts

We aim to recycle 100% of wind turbine blades and solar panels. In addition, we also want to promote the circular economy in other parts of society and support the Sustainable in Scouting Fund.

Most of the materials used in the wind turbine and its components are recyclable. The recycling rate for metal components (steel, copper, aluminium) is already very high, usually close to 100%. Valuable materials used in construction, such as iron and copper, are sold on. Wind turbine blades are made from fibreglass components and currently have a recycling rate of around 70-90% on average, depending on the manufacturer. When the fibreglass and other composite materials in the blades are recycled, the recycling rate for the whole wind turbine can be as high as over 90%.

We have an agreement with Stena Recycling Oy to recycle wind turbine blades during the wind farm dismantling phase. We are the first energy company in Finland to commit to recycling the blades of all our wind turbines with Stena Recycling’s recycling solution. Currently, Stena Recycling recycles the glass fibre from wind turbines for cement production in Europe. Using composite material as a raw material for cement reduces carbon dioxide emissions of cement.

Circular economy at the heart of our cooperation with the Finnish Scouts

The role of the circular economy is strongly emphasized in our cooperation with the Finnish Scouts. For the second year in a row, we are supporting the Sustainable Scouting Fund, which enables local groups to better integrate the circular economy and environmental actions into their activities. Local groups can apply for support, from the Sustainable Scouting Fund, for projects that reduce its carbon footprint or reduce other environmental impacts of its activities. In the last two years, 48 groups have already received support for their sustainability and circular economy projects.

Sustainability projects organized by the Scouts have included repairing tents, installing solar panels, replacing boat paint with environmentally friendly biocide-free paint, purchasing compost, building composting toilets, organizing vegetarian food courses and adding insulation to the outside walls of the Scouts’ camp and course centre to increase energy efficiency. As a nice new idea, one groups applied for a grant to buy its own biochar. They had calculated the carbon footprint of their own activities and wanted to make biochar from lake cabbage and train other groups to do the same.

“I think the fund is really important and necessary as it lowers the threshold for groups to take on more sustainable actions. The fund allows us to carry out projects that they would not normally be able to afford. It has been a pleasure to maintain something that is of concrete help to the troops,” says Jenna Kaarrela, a member of the Sustainability Group from the Finnish Scouts.

The fund has so far financed responsibility actions in the local groups with a total of 19,000 euros. The Finnish Scouts’ Board of Directors granted the fund an additional 5,000 euros in support, as the number of good applications received from groups was up to three times the amount of money available for distribution. Ilmatar supports the fund as a partner of the Finnish Scouts.