SIHTI 2. Energy and environmental technology. Yearbook 1996. Project presentations

Low-emission energy production and related technologies are key factors with regard to sustainable development and preservation of ecosystems. Expertise developed in Finland is highly appreciated and Finland is presently of top class in the world in a number of technical applications. This gives us an exceptionally good position in promoting and using of high-quality and environmentally beneficial technologies and in speaking up for it in different occasions. This appreciation also obliges us to participate more actively in global debate on air protection and also to influence on resolutions concerning it. SIHTI 2 Programme on Energy and Environmental Technology aims at supporting the development of holistic knowhow related to environmental control in Finland. In 1996 this research programme of about three million FIM covered an exceptionally wide field of research, including indicators of greenhouse gases, analysis of effects of energy and environment taxes as well as testing and development of different instruments of decision-making for environmental estimates. An important part of the programme consisted of life-cycle analysis data for energy production in Finland and of the use of various assessment methods in the decision-making of enterprises. Cleaning technology of flue gases is a research integrity, in which internationally recognised expertise has been developed in Finland. Major part of the projects concerns separation and health impacts of particulates. Emission sources have been surveyed, compositions and particle size distributions measured and means of affecting the separation capacity of scrubbers and electric precipitators studied. The studies include theoretical model calculations, equipment-technical development in laboratory scale and testing in demonstration plants. The first results have already been utilised commercially. Reduction of gaseous components, in particular, nitrogen oxides and sulphur compounds has also been studied. One significant part of the programme comprises the reduction and utilisation of solid wastes from energy production and pulp and paper industries. The level of technology in the field of gaseous and liquid effluents is also internationally high in Finland, while the possible utilisation of solid wastes and the reduction of environmental impacts due to waste treatment have drawn less attention. More stringent standards and increasing charges and costs of waste disposal on dumps force the plants to seek for alternative process-technical uses for increasing waste amounts. This challenge has also been accepted by the SIHTI 2 Programme.