Tiilikainen to visit Germany, India April 18-20

Minister of the Environment, Energy and Housing Kimmo Tiilikainen will visit Germany and India from 18 April to 20 April to promote cooperation in renewable energy and environmentally friendly solutions, said an official press release.

First, on 18 April, the Minister will attend Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue on invitation by the German Government. The event aims to accelerate global transition towards more sustainable energy systems. Tiilikainen will be attending a ministerial panel addressing the possibilities of renewable energy and collaboration between developed and developing countries, among other issues.

In Berlin, Tiilikainen will also meet with Ministry of the Environment Svenja Schulze and Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier from the new German Government. The ministers will discuss the EU's climate and energy policy, accelerating the circular economy, European battery technologies and protecting the Baltic Sea, among other topics.

"The German energy and environment policies are very ambitious, and Germany is a key actor in the EU. This is a great opportunity to promote important themes together with the key ministers of Germany's brand new government," Tiilikainen said.

From Berlin, the Minister will travel on a two-day visit to Delhi and the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. He will meet representatives of the Indian Government and Indian companies. He will be accompanied by the representatives of ten key Finnish energy and technology companies operating in India, including Fortum, Valmet and Wärtsilä.

Tiilikainen will have meetings with Energy Minister Raj Kumar Singh and Minister of the Environment, Forest, Climate Change, Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan, among others.

He will also visit a local power station and a farm. Tiilikainen will also open the new Finland Chamber of Commerce in India (FINCHAM) in Delhi.

Tiilikainen's latest visit to India together with a delegation of Finnish business leaders was in October 2017.

"The Indian economy is growing fast. This growth should be sustainable for both the environment and the climate. India has ambitious plans for more versatile energy production, and Finland has the expertise to support it. I believe the visit will further reinforce our export opportunities in the fields of the circular economy, bioeconomy and low-emission energy," the Minister said.