The Finnish government is compiling a renewable energy support package which could inject a billion euros into environmentally friendly power.

The existing proposals put aside 170 million euros a year each, for bio fuels, wind power and wood chip technology. While divisions remain within the Finnish government over the details of any package, an agreement is expected to be reached in weeks, reports YLE.

Mauri Pekkarinen, the Minister for Economic Affairs, is campaigning for support for the renewable energy sector to remain separate from new license grants for further nuclear reactors. Pekkarinen said an agreement over renewable energy should be reached before further consideration could be given to how many nuclear reactors are required.

Pekkarinen supports the addition of one new reactor, whereas his National Coalition cabinet colleagues are hoping that all three pending licenses will be granted. The National Coalition believe that the two issues are interwoven and have demaded assurances from Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen that a cabinet majority will support the nuclear programme before agreeing to any energy policy decisions. The Greens are vehemetly opposed to any further expansion of the country’s nuclear power production capacity.

Finland has agreed to an EU commitment to increase renewable energy resources to 38 percent of its total energy production by 2020. In the most recent report in 2005, the renewable energy share was below 30 percent.

The countries of the Nordic group are set to invest over EUR 14 million for climate projects in developing countries. The investment, which is part of a pool of over EUR 1 billion in total, will be managed via the Nordic Development Fund (NDF). Read the full story

Environmental and climate issues were at the forefront at the Nordic Climate Solutions conference and expo held on 8th and 9th September in the Bella Center, Copenhagen. A special expo was organised this year to run alongside the main conference, where companies specialising in energy efficiency and renewable energy were able to exhibit. Read the full story

World transport is slowly transforming towards a sector powered by electric and biofuels, among others. Nordic countries like Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden are at the cutting edge of this development. Read the full story

Two of the world’s largest auto manufacturers, Mitsubishi Motors and Toyota from Japan, along with China’s BYD Auto, will showcase their newest green car innovations this September at the annual Driving Sustainability international conference of industry experts being held for the third time in Reykjavik, Iceland. Read the full story

The Norwegian-based energy giant, Statoil, has opened the lines on the world’s first floating wind turbine off the coast of Norway. The water-based sustainable electricity generator could become a model for future energy development if it proves as efficient as Statoil claims. Read the full story

One indication that Danes are serious about tackling climate change involves the country’s electricity providers. The Politiken newspaper reports that a rising number of Danish consumers are changing electricity companies to those that specialise in sustainable energy production. Read the full story

Copenhagen’s city councillors are putting aside their different views to unite under a new campaign to make the Danish capital the world’s first carbon dioxide neutral capital city. The plan was introduced at a recent press meeting with Mayor Ritt Bjerregaard and the capital’s six deputy mayors. Read the full story

The government of Sweden has unveiled what is being touted as Europe’s most ambitious programme to cut its greenhouse gas emissions and improve its energy efficiency. The government plans to use renewable energy for 50 percent of all the nation’s needs by 2020, and for the country to be carbon neutral by 2050. Read the full story

The Norwegian government has decided to join the newest global body dedicated to promoting renewable energy. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has been created to fund and encourage green energy especially in developing countries, as well as the rest of the world. Read the full story