Projects

Most of VaasaEMG’s projects are assignment projects commissioned by companies operating at the energy industry. These projects often are company-specific tailor- made research projects, which are completely confidential (the results and reports are not publicly available). Therefore, the underlying list of our current projects only includes those projects which are, at least to some extent, public in nature.

EURONET 50/50

VaasaEMG is a partner in this project that started in summer 2009. The project aims at increasing energy efficiency in schools and is executed in collaboration with nine European countries, Finland being one of them. The objective is to apply the 50/50 methodology to 50 educational centres, creating a European network of schools aiming for energy savings and fighting against climate change.

The 50/50 - project is mainly funded by the EU (Intelligent Energy Europe – program, 75 %). Additional funding (25 %) is received from the companies that are involved in the project: Vaasan Sähkö Oy, Ab Stormossen Oy, EPV Energia Oy and Seinäjoen Energia Oy. Five pilot schools have been chosen from Finland and they have started the 50/50 –action during spring 2010.

The web site of the project is available at: http://www.euronet50-50.eu

VaasaEMG member responsible for this project: Merja Pakkanen.
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BIOMODE

BIOMODE is a project program with the objective of promoting and demonstrating the traffic usage of biogas in Finland . The first phase of the program is now in operation. During the first phase, two regional infrastructures (the production, handling, distribution and usage of biogas) are established in Seinäjoki region and the region of Vaasa and Laihia, as well as an attempt to establish a connection with a project plan simultaneously running in Jyväskylä is made. More accurate planning and a number of background studies to do with eg quality control are also included in this phase.

Additionally, the potential of the gas from waste disposal areas, the biogas potential of rural areas and the regional potential of other traffic bio fuels are studied. BIOMODE project program is coordinated by the Technology Centre of Merinova (Teknologiakeskus Merinova Oy). Vaasa Energy Institute is responsible for the practical implementation of the project. The project is funded by the town of Vaasa , the municipality of Laihia , Business Service Centre of Seinäjoki Region (Seinäjoen Seudun Elinkeinokeskus), VASEK (the Vaasa Region Development Company), Regional Council of Ostrobothnia (Pohjanmaan Liitto) and Regional Council of South Ostrobothnia (Etelä-Pohjanmaan Liitto). VaasaEMG is involved in the BIOMODE project program by carrying out an extensive market study about these potential users of biogas.

VaasaEMG members responsible for this project: Merja Pakkanen and Nea Aspholm.
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PriceWatch

PriceWatch is without doubt the most “famous” project of VaasaEMG, at least in Finland. This is due to the fact that the media has been extremely interested in electricity prices ever since the deregulation started. With the means of PriceWatch VaasaEMG has collected and stored all Finnish electricity suppliers’ offer price data  since 2000 by using the mystery shopping method. The data is collected on monthly basis and,  therefore, it is very exact and extensive by nature. VaasaEMG is the only organization that has this data of Finnish electricity prices.

PriceWatch project is funded by various companies and organizations operating at the energy industry. The project is conducted for one year at a time. The current status of the project is that it will continue at least to the end of December 2010.

VaasaEMG members involved in this project: Teemu Närvä and several research assistants.
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Academic research  

There are academic projects going on and degrees taken within VaasaEMG all the time. Most of these projects are done along one's main occupation. VaasaEMG is delighted to do doctoral and master's theses in cooperation with companies operating at the energy industry. In case your company has some kind of disquisition task in which you are hoping to cooperate with a thesis writer, please do not hesitate to contact VaasaEMG staff and we will find out whether we can find a suitable person to do the work in question at that moment.

VaasaEMG members that are responsible in these research projects:

Merja Pakkanen – doctoral thesis
Martti Muroma – doctoral thesis
Nea Aspholm - master's thesis 
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