Developing the value chain of plant-based proteins
The working group will develop the activities of value chains of plant-based proteins together with various actors (the food industry, retail stores, food services, restaurants and non-governmental organisations) with the ultimate aim of reducing emissions.
Measures to achieve the goal:
- A cooperation platform (Plant Protein Coalition (PPC)) for the development of value chains
- To update foods offered by businesses we study the quality of sources of protein (chemical and nutritional)
- Increasing procurement and consumption of plant-based protein in carbon-neutral municipalities
- Increasing the consciousness, and motivation of consumers, changing culture-bound dietary habits
- Policy changes and their propagation
Developing the paludiculture value chain
The working group hopes to produce a value chain that produces a peat-free growing medium for large-scale greenhouse enterprises. In the work a value chain is to be developed mainly in Eastern Finland, with alternate raw materials and a growing medium, as well as logistics. Landowners will be helped with watering and paludiculture, and experiences of the new growing medium will be collected from the greenhouses. Reductions in emissions will be achieved by watering peat fields and moving them to the production of reed canary grass and common reed, and indirectly, as the need for peat extraction decreases. Policy measures to promote paludiculture will be advanced in cooperation with the tasks that focus on accelerating climate policy.
Reducing emissions from heavy vehicle transport
The working group looking for ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions from heavy vehicle transport is piloting trucks running on electricity and natural gas, as well as infrastructure for charging and refuelling. Service concepts, smart integration of a low-emission transport ecosystem into the electricity grid, and the local production of energy, as well as storage systems are to be developed in the same context.
The trial will involve collaboration with companies in a testing location in Naantali to show in practice how charging and refuelling infrastructure and activities can be implemented with low-emission trucks. Also implemented will be an electric lorry experiment in Arctic conditions in Kemi.
The aim is to produce researched data and general awareness on the advancement of alternative driving power in heavy transport and to help owners of the equipment, transport service providers, shippers, and energy companies, as well as others, to evaluate which low-carbon solutions would be most suitable for them and would promote low-emission investments.
Reducing emissions from heavy vehicle transport in the forest and food industries
The goal of the working group is to help Finland achieve its emission reduction goals in the effort sharing sector especially with respect to heavy machinery and transport in the forest and food industries.
Overall, achieving the goal in the assignment involves, for example, piloting transport services using electric and biomethane-powered trucks, demonstrating low-emission machinery, building real-time carbon footprint reporting in the wood procurement chain, training machine operators and drivers, and testing systems that assist the users of machinery in more energy-efficient work and driving habits, and studying ways to improve efficiency in transport logistics.
Electrification of small and medium-sized industrial processes
One of the goals of the working group is to encourage investments by medium-sized or small companies that are not part of emissions trading and to help them disengage from oil, natural gas, and peat. The focus is on smart electrification investments in which flexible consumption, storage, and contractual methods are examined alongside electrification as ways of improving price stability and cost-effectiveness of investment. In addition, the possibility of utilising biogas and clean synthetic fuels will be examined in situations where electrification is a challenge. Model investments will be implemented in the project. A tool kit is to be produced for SMEs to support replacement investments, and training events are to be organised.
Promoting the use of biomethane
One goal of the working group is to support emission reduction goals by promoting and enabling the use of biomethane and other low-emission gaseous fuels in road traffic, machinery, and small and medium-sized industry - in locations where electrification is challenging.
The project examines the potential of gaseous fuels and evaluates their optimal use in different locations for reducing emissions. The potential for biomethane is evaluated especially through new raw materials (such as side streams from paludiculture, plant protein and the forest industry) in collaboration with other work packages. In addition, instructions and policy recommendations will be produced, for example in connection with the regulatorychanges, especially for the improvement of the investment environment of small and medium-sized enterprises.
More efficient climate policy action
The working group aims at developing climate measures by visualising paths toward a more ambitious climate policy by identifying and removing obstacles. The working group will draw up a scenario for Finland for disengaging from carbon while implementing eight climate policy paths through the methods of joint development in specialist workshops and with sector-specific policy recommendations for implementing the scenario, whose effects on emissions will be evaluated.
The ACE project will also include drafting reports on the needs for developing policies and guidelines as well as the effects on cutting emissions, while communicating the development of the steering methods at various events.
Climate funding and stimulating investments
The working group seeks to promote effective targeting of climate funding, to support applying climate funding and to expedite the scaling of climate innovations. A complementary funding strategy and a tool for evaluating the climate effects of projects will be made. An expert network on climate funding will support the work of the project. While the project is in progress, current funding possibilities will be gathered and communicated, and support will be given to those wishing to apply for funding for new projects.
A model for scaling climate innovations will also be produced in connection with the full task. The project will aim at funding pilot projects and larger-scale possibilities for funding will be sought for the most promising of these.