A special energy winter is coming
The city of Äänekoski also participates in energy saving talks
According to the policy of the management team of the city of Äänekoski, the city will also participate in energy saving talks in the coming heating season.
- Saving energy is now more important than ever. Due to Russia's war of aggression, the price of electricity is rising rapidly throughout Europe. In order to secure the availability of electricity, each of us must now save electricity as much as possible, the mayor of Äänekoski Matti Tuononen says.
The city of Äänekoski uses about 24 MWh of district heating energy, the electricity consumption of buildings is 000 MWh and the electricity consumption of street lighting is 11 MWh. Due to the increase in the price of electricity, it has already been necessary to apply for additional appropriations for this year, and in the preparation of next year's budget, the high price of electricity has had to be taken into account.
- Households suffer here, but so does the city. As far as the city is concerned, the increases are talking about costs in the millions, says Tuononen.
A step lower
Motiva is starting A step lower in the campaign every Finn is encouraged to take fast-acting and concrete energy-saving measures. The goal of the campaign is to get at least 75 percent of Finns to save energy and achieve permanently lower energy consumption in the long term. The goal is shared by everyone at home, in traffic, at workplaces and in educational institutions.
The city of Äänekoski also responds to this Motiva challenge. Based on the policy of the city's management team, the city will start energy saving measures by lowering the temperatures of all buildings by one degree as a general rule.
- Just lowering the room temperature by one degree already achieves an energy saving of five percent, so households should also take up the challenge, energy engineer of the city of Äänekoski Juha Saari says.
Energy saving is small everyday actions. In addition to lowering the temperature in the room, you can have a lighter gas pedal, a shorter shower and use less entertainment electronics. The Astetta alemmas campaign starts in October and continues throughout the heating season. A step lower is a cooperation campaign between Motiva, the Energy Agency, the Ministry of Labor and the Economy, the Government Office, the Ministry of the Environment and Sitra.

In an exceptional situation, all savings opportunities will be investigated
In accordance with the management team's policy, all industries are obliged to take energy-saving measures.
The duration of the ice-making season is being examined, and the suitability of the first snow slope and the snow conditions of Äänemäki are also being optimized. There are plans to slightly lower the water temperature in the swimming halls and the temperature in the saunas. The automation of all sports halls is also refined, and their indoor temperatures and the operating hours of the ventilation machines are examined. The goal is to be able to keep all the city's sports facilities in use next winter.
The timing of street and outdoor lighting is also critically examined. All lighting in the city has already been gradually switched to LED lighting, which consumes less electricity.
The city of Äänekoski is also investigating other savings opportunities.
The harshness of winter can surprise you
- Now we have to remember that the city's energy saving measures apply to this heating season and next spring we will look at the situation again, says Juha Saari.
Saari reminds that even if the household now has an affordable electricity contract, electricity should still be saved.
- It depends on the citizens' electricity consumption and the harshness of the coming winter, whether we have enough electricity production or whether there will be a national deficit. It looks bad that already last week two backup power plants had to be started in Finland and now we are only living in autumn.
For more information:
Energy engineer Juha Saari, 040 572 9182, juha.saari@aanekoski.fi
News published 16 9.2022 .., modified 23.9.2022/10/21 at XNUMX:XNUMX