227/08 Social challanges s the basis for foresight - Gaia

The main drivers in the sector are increased energy
and material prices and need to cut the CO 2
emissions. Global competition forces Finland to
take a new turn in industrial production especially
in the energy intensive process technology
due to isolated location and globalised market.
Regulation presents new challenges also. IC technology
offers a good platform to develop new solutions
and services on global market.
There are some uncertainties or challenges that
need to overcome to achieve the goals. The education
system fails to improve according to the
needs and support for entrepreneurship lacks.
There must also be courage to change the existing
industrial structure on time. EU regulation
might become an obstacle for competition in
global perspective. Radical changes in global
politics or economy might steer the development
elsewhere.
The drivers, solutions and actions are summarised
in Figure 5.3.
58
Why?
Drivers
and
trends
What?
Central
solutions
How?
– skills
– practices
– co-operation
Higher energy prices
and pressure toward
lowering CO2
emissions
Energy and material efficiency in industry
Globally competitive energy and
material efficient products
Understanding and
management of energy and
material flows
Energy and material efficiency
indicators and life cycle models
for industrial products
Support mechanism
for energy and
material efficiency
in R&D projects
Global competition
Standards and public
procurement
Regulation and
potential unequal
regulation
environment
Regulation that supports energy
and material efficiency
(positive feedback)
R&D&I activities for
developing energy and
material efficient industry
Smart processes
Basic research e.g. on
material and energy
flows
ICT
Energy and material
efficient services
Support for
commercialisation, e.g. pilot
processes, entrepreneurship
Education for
experts in process
engineering,
chemistry etc.
Figure 5.3. Drivers, solutions and actions to reach the goals of energy and
material efficiency in industry
Energy production – CO 2 and small
scale
The target is to maintain sufficient energy production
to ensure equal welfare of people. In the year
2020 there’s a 30% reduction of CO 2 emissions
and use of natural resources in energy production,
and everyone has an equal opportunity to use energy.
Local energy production is important to ensure
security of supply and local independency.
Local energy production is possible by utilising
passive solar energy and passive cooling. Waste as
energy source will present opportunities for local
production. New alternative technologies, e.g.
small-scale bioenergy and solar heating and electricity
solutions for energy generation will be developed.
Infrastructure and electricity distribution
systems support local small-scale production.
The local production requires specific support
mechanisms, e.g. feed-in tariffs, and renewed taxation
systems from the government. Also housing
regulation needs to be developed. The small-scale