Sustainability - Ilmatar

Fighting climate change

Our aim is to help create a world that runs entirely on renewable energy, and we want to do it in a sustainable way.

Our core business is dedicated to solving one of Earth’s most crucial and complex challenges, climate change. Our mission is to own and operate one of the largest renewable energy fleets in Finland.

We stand at the forefront of the energy transformation with our valued customers and partners by supplying sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy.

Our project development and construction are dedicated to working in a way that causes minimal disturbance to the environment.

*Download Ilmatar Code of Conduct

*Download Ilmatar Environmental Policy

*Download Ilmatar Data protection and information security policy

Wind power has the lowest emissions

According to a study carried out by the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), wind power’s total life cycle emissions are only 7 g CO2/kWh.

Due to modern technology, wind power is also proven to be the most cost-efficient way to produce electricity.

Wind turbines produce energy with virtually no emissions. However, there are environmental impacts associated with their manufacture, installation, and end of life. The energy payback period for 2MW wind turbines is around 5 to 8 months in studies.

Building new, additional wind power also reduces the overall CO2 emissions of energy production by replacing fossil fuels from the market

Recycling and circular economy

In addition to achieving carbon neutrality, we need circular economy solutions.

The life cycle of a wind turbine consists of its manufacturing, transport and installation, operation and maintenance, and end-of-life operations, i.e., its decommissioning, recycling, and disposal.

Wind turbines and their components are mostly recyclable. With current methods, more than 90 percent or even the entire wind turbine can be recycled, depending on the manufacturer. The large metal components in a wind turbine are currently made of steel, copper, and aluminum and can be almost completely recycled. The recycling rate of metal components (steel, copper, aluminum) is already very high, usually nearly 100 percent.

The wind turbine blades are made of fiberglass. Ilmatar Energy is committed to recycling the wind turbine blades with the help of technology from Stena Recycling Finland. The recycling technology allows fiberglass to be reused in the cement industry.

Commitment to the Ten Principles of UN

Ilmatar Energy has joined the UN Global Compact in 2021. Ilmatar is committed to the UN Global Compact initiative and to its Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption in our operations.

Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights and make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.
Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining
- the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour
- the effective abolition of child labour
- the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.
Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges, undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility, and encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.
Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.

The UN Global Compact aims to develop and help the progress of the environmental, social, and economic responsibility of companies and societies.

UN Sustainable Development Goals in our business

The UN Sustainable Development Goals are central to our business. Our contributions are actualized most in our business activities in the following UN SDGs:

Goal 3:
Good Health and Well-Being. We take good care of our employees’ health, safety and well-being. We bring significant regional economic benefits to our project localities.

Goal 7:
Affordable and Clean Energy. We produce renewable energy and increase the availability of renewably sourced electricity in the market.

Goal 8:
Decent Work and Economic Growth. We take good care of our employees, and we grow responsibly. We strive to boost economic growth spurred by renewable energy.

Goal 9:
Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.
We use the latest technology at our power plants and ensure long service life and continuous energy production. We build new energy infrastructure in Finland.

Goal 12:
Responsible Consumption and Production. We conserve and recycle materials wherever possible. We provide our customers opportunities to consume sustainable and renewably sourced electricity.

Goal 13:
Climate Action. By producing renewable energy and supporting the green transition, we take significant climate action and reduce both our and our customers’ emissions.

Goal 14:
Life Below Water. We take seafloor, ocean health and marine biodiversity into consideration when planning offshore wind power.

Goal 15:
Life on Land. We take care of people and the environment. Preserving biodiversity is at the core of our sustainability efforts in both wind and solar power projects.

Goal 17:
Partnerships. With our partners, we make innovation possible and support the green transition in the Nordics. We invest in developmental cooperation with the government, municipalities and educational institutes. We are a responsible partner and expect the same commitment from our stakeholders.

Commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals comes naturally to Ilmatar as clean and affordable energy is one of the most important tools in the fight against the climate crisis. Preventing climate change, on the other hand, is crucial to the success of all the SDGs.

Memberships

Ilmatar is a member of FIBS, the largest corporate responsibility network in the Nordic countries, aiming to help companies understand sustainable development and promote opportunities for responsible business. As a member of FIBS, we are committed to conducting accountable and sustainable business practices, promoting corporate social responsibility, and solving local, national, and global problems.

We are also a member of the Finnish Wind Power Association (STY), which is an advocacy organization for the wind power industry. STY brings together individuals, companies and other entities interested in the wind power sector. Founded in 1988, the association shares information and supports the development and operation of the wind power industry in Finland.

Ilmatar has become a member of Finnish Energy (ET), which is the political interest organization of the energy sector. It represents companies that produce, procure, transmit and sell electricity, gas, district heating and district cooling and provide related services.
Energy companies are committed to creating one of the world’s first carbon-neutral energy systems in Finland. The energy industry’s responsibility guidelines bring together the most essential themes, achievements and goals for a more sustainable energy sector. The goal is to create a common view of the industry’s sustainability themes and the work together towards them.

Ilmatar also participates in the Auringosta Energiaa consortium, which promotes the construction of solar power in Finland.

Together with other renewable energy producers, we are willing to develop Finland’s solar energy industry and ready to invest a total of more than 10 billion euros in new solar energy in Finland in the next few years. Solar power projects bring vitality, jobs and tax revenues to their regions. Solar power reduces the carbon footprint of municipalities and increases Finland’s energy self-sufficiency.

Our approach to sustainability