Finland’s clean energy solutions raise interest in Mongolia

Energy is one of the possible areas of cooperation between Finland and Mongolia where Finnish companies have expertise that is highly relevant to the Mongolian people, said the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in a press release on Wednesday.

Mongolian people are facing extremely low temperatures in winter, and now they are looking for solutions in Finland,

Mongolia is actively seeking solutions for the green transition in the energy sector. The country wishes to increase the share of renewable energy and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This week, a Mongolian delegation composed of public officials from several ministries is visiting Finland to learn about heat pump technology and other energy solutions related to the supply of heat.

The visit is part of an energy sector project funded by the Asian Development Bank that aims to find alternative forms of renewable energy production in Mongolia.

“Finland has succeeded in effectively reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the supply of heat. Finnish energy solutions can help Mongolia in the efforts to achieve the green transition,” said Juha Niemi, Deputy Director General of the Department for the Americas and Asia.

The Mongolian energy sector is highly dependent on the country’s vast coal resources. More than 90% of the electricity production in Mongolia is based on coal power, which is also used to produce heat for urban heat networks in combined heat and power (CHP) plants.

Solid fuels and especially coal are used for heating buildings and preparing food outside the urban areas as well. Burning causes significant air pollution and in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, the amount of fine particulate matter exceeds 6 to 10 times the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Mongolia aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 22.7% by 2030. The country has a lot of potential in utilising renewable energy.

The Asian Development Bank has identified Finland as a reference country in promoting the energy transition in Mongolia.

In both countries the cold winter season must be taken into account when constructing energy infrastructure. Finland has expertise in the production and use of renewable energy as well. Finland’s target of being carbon neutral by 2035 also attracts much interest, and so does our expertise in sustainable forest management.