Electric car © Napapiirin Energia ja Vesi Oy
Rovaniemi is a growing city located by the Ounasjoki and Kemijoki rivers. It is known for its excellence in international trade, administration and education. It is a gateway to Lapland and has served as the administrative hub of the Lapland region since 1938. Rovaniemi gained city status in 1960. The city and rural municipality were consolidated in 2006. Rovaniemi has a land area of approx. 8,000 km2 and a population of approx. 63,000.
What has already been done in Rovaniemi to promote the circular economy?
- The productization of power plant ash for sale as Naturla’s granular ash fertilizers
- The flue gas scrubber project of the Suosiola power plant: reduces the air emissions of energy production (environmental investment), fuel consumption (resources/material efficiency investment) and fuel costs (economy), and recovers waste heat for utilization in district heat production (energy efficiency investment)
- Development of a charging network for electric cars
- Planning of an investment in a sludge burning plant
Measures related to waste management:
- construction of a receipt, processing and terminal area near the waste creation sites with the aim of ensuring cost efficiency and ecology
Goals as a pioneering municipality
Planned waste management measures:
- reaching the material recovery goals specified in the National Waste Plan
- closing the landfill in 2022
- converting the landfill into a production area for renewable energy (wind power, solar power and landfill gas energy) – partial master planning is under way.
Rovaniemi wishes to promote an Arctic circular economy in the city.
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