1. Forest Bioeconomy in North Karelia

2. North Karelia – perfect for forest bioeconomy
Forerunner in smart forest bioeconomy, since the 1990s:
Strong and dynamic forest cluster
World-class knowledge hub in forest research and expertise
89% of the total land area is covered by forests
300 km border with Russia
North to south 240 km, East to West 153 km
Temperatures from +30C to -40C
inhabitants • size km² • 89% forest • 13 municipalities

3. North Karelia’s forest bioeconomy cluster
Cornerstone of the region’s business life and industry sector
Share of renewable energy of the total energy consumption: 64%
Forest resources are processed:
into high added-value bioproducts and services
for domestic and export markets
Forest bioeconomy is growing fast and getting more versatile; a wide range of wood-based products as well as nature tourism, non-wood forest products and services, etc.

4. Forest resources and world-class expertise

5. Unique collaboration and expertise
European Forest Institute – EFI HQ
Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
Finnish Forest Centre
University of Eastern Finland – UEF
Karelia University of Applied Sciences
Riveria Vocational Education & Training
Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)
Forestry Management Association
Business development: Business Joensuu, regional business development organisations
Many strong national and international actors are involved in the field, such as the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), the Finnish Forest Centre, the University of Eastern Finland, the European Forest Institute (EFI), Karelia University of
Applied Sciences, the Finnish Environment Institute and North Karelia Vocational College of Valtimo. The region
contains strong leading companies as well as promising growth companies that focus on global export markets.
Photo: Luke, Jussi Tiainen
= the GreenHUB Team

6. GreenHUB: an open innovation platform
Committed co-operation between:
R & D
Practice
Education
Business
Aiming at sustainable, smart and innovative green growth

7. GreenHUB builds added-value
The GreenHUB team and companies work together on:
advanced wood products
forest technology
non-wood forest products
education
green energy
international wood technology and transfer of know-how
Over 100 business cases

8. Our circular forest bioeconomy cluster
Forest technology
Forests & Photonics
Industrial symbioses
Advanced wood products
Distributed biorefining
New biobased products
Natural products
Wood construction
Renewable energy production
Forest information solutions

9. Forest ownership in North Karelia
A significant source of income for private, small-scale forest owners
Total annual net income from timber sales: €
Social, economical, ecological and cultural aspects of sustainable development are taken into account

10. Smart and Strategic Forest Bioeconomy

11. Long-term strategic work
Our strategic work on renewable energy began 25 years ago
The follow-up of of the region’s energy sector has been a part of our strategic programmes
A social contract on sustainable development 2015, North Karelia the first region to take part
Towards Low Carbon Municipalities -> Roadmap for oil free and low carbon North Karelia 2040

12. Timeline of our strategic work
Wood Energy Programme for East Finland 2000
Bioenergy Strategy of North Karelia
Bioenergy Programme of North Karelia 2015
Climate and Energy Programme of North Karelia 2020
Raodmap towards Oil-free and Low Carbon North Karelia 2040
Bioenergy Programme of East Finland 2020
1993
1998
2007
2011
2011
2017
2040
Itä-Suomen puuvoimaohjelma vuoteen 2000 (1993)
-Pohjois-Karjalan Bioenergiastrategia (1998)
-Pohjois-Karjalan Bioenergiastrategia, päivitys (2001)
-Pohjois-Karjalan Bioenergiaohjelma 2015 (2007)
-Itä-Suomen Bioenergiaohjelma 2020 (2011)
-Pohjois-Karjalan Ilmasto-ja energiaohjelma 2020 (2011)
-Tiekartta öljyvapaaseen ja vähähiiliseen Pohjois-Karjalaan 2040 (2017)

13. Our regional network

14. Strategies in action ENO Environment network
A global network of schools and communities for sustainable development in over 100 countries
Vision of the POKAT 2021 Programme

15. Strategies in action Eno Energy Cooperative
Produces district heating energy
Woodchips for the three heat production/distribution plants
Most of the capital investment stays within the municipality
Benefits employment, energy, forestry
Combustion of wood does not result in a net increase in carbon dioxide emissions
The ashes and its nutrients can be returned back to the forest

16. Visionary and ambitious goals
Our forest bioeconomy targets are a vital part of these goals.
Emerging bioeconomy and climate change considerations provide opportunities for resource efficient activities in North Karelia to help it to become an oil-free region
North Karelia invests in
selected productive sectors to increase the international
competitiveness of the region
Vision of the POKAT 2021 Programme

17. Sustainable targets for 2030
- North Karelia was the first region in the Finnish society’s Commitment to Sustainable Development. Our commitment is called Farewell to Fossil Oil.
- At the moment usage of fossil oil for heating is about 60 000 000 litres every year. Share of the fossil heating oil in primary energy consumption in North Karelia is 5 %
- Fossil oil that is used for heating will be replaced with renewable energy sources by This will be achieved by either replacing the fossil oil that is currently used for oil heating systems with bio-oil or by investing in alternative heating systems. Already now, practically all municipal centers and the largest population centers in the region are heated by district heat that is mainly generated by wood energy.

18. Within bioeconomy, our aims are:
Oil-free, low-carbon and resource-efficient region
Fossil fuels and materials replaced with renewable ones
Forerunner in wood construction
Wide range of value-added bioproducts and natural products
Service sector with a key role
Creating jobs for the entire bioeconomy value chain
Ensuring ecosystem services
Efficient use of by-products of the forest industry, reduction of negative environmental impacts
Open and secure environment for industrial piloting
Climate smart forestry, maintaining healthy and diverse forests
Knowledge and research applied for the needs of business life
Innovative use of digital forest data
Education of forest bioeconomy experts at all levels

19. Smart – Focus on Regional Strengths
Conceived within the reformed Cohesion policy of the European Commission, Smart Specialisation is a place-based approach characterised by the identification of strategic areas for intervention based both on the analysis of the strengths and potential of the economy and on an Entrepreneurial Discovery Process (EDP) with wide stakeholder involvement. It is outward-looking and embraces a broad view of innovation including but certainly not limited to technology-driven approaches, supported by effective monitoring mechanisms.
Smart specialisation is an innovative approach that aims to boost growth and jobs in Europe, by enabling each region to identify and develop its own competitive advantages.

20. Smart specilisation in North Karelia
The forest bioeconomy represents the strongest sector for research and expertise in the entire region. The forest bioeconomy sector is strongly collaborative in nature. The experts of the field are also well-networked, both at home and abroad.

21. Smart forest bioeconomy
Wood and its by-products, non-wood products and ecosystem services of the forests used and combined innovatively and efficiently
Decentralised biorefining, renewable energy production and hybrid solutions
Strategies of the region see the importance of forests; e.g. the region’s Smart Specialisation Strategy: “Forest-bioeconomy is an essential theme in the North Karelian application of smart specialisation. It is based on more innovative utilisation of our forest resources.” and “the goal is that North Karelia should be completely fossil fuel free by 2030”
Photo: Riitta Weijola

22. Bioeconomy investments in North Karelia
Target:
Annual turnover 2.7 billion €
Five bioinvestment areas
Refined products
Network of subcontractors
Excellent infrastructure

23. Programmes in action: GreenPark Business Park – Joensuu
Mechanical engineering companies with 550 employees
Joensuu deep-water port and a major wastewater treatment plant are nearby
Industrial Internet and new digital opportunities are forthcoming
Aims:
improving competitiveness
a close-knit network of subcontractors around John Deere Forestry Oy’s plant
completed, with 1000 employees by 2030

24. Programmes in action: Iiksenvaara – Joensuu
Includes a power plant, bioheating plant, pyrolysis oil production plant, pyrolysis heating plant, storage area for the raw material and a tank area
Employment for 100 people
Bio-oil plant operations based on the fast pyrolysis technology
The first industrial-scale facility of its kind in the world
Replacing fossil fuels with bio-oil leading to reduction of CO2 emissions in heat generation by 70%

25. Programmes in action: Uimaharju – Joensuu
45 kilometres northeast of the centre of Joensuu
Several companies
350 employees
Enocell:
bleached softwood pulp
dissolving pulp for textile industry
Uimaharju sawmill
commercialising thermally modified timber
Enocell pulp mill invested in renewable energy by replacing heavy oil used in lime kiln with local saw dust. They are not completely fossil oil free, but annually they save 5 million euros and have been able to reduce greenhouse gases tons per year.

26. Programmes in action: Kevätniemi – Lieksa
Companies specialising in wood processing and production of sawn timber
250 people employed in the Kevätniemi bioindustrial area
m3 of wood is used in the area annually
Sizeable investment plans
Excellent road, railway and waterway connections

27. Programmes in action: Puhos – Kitee
Excellent road and rail links with other parts of Finland and Russia
Waterway connections to Europe
High-quality infrastructure
Long history in manufacturing wood products and in wood processing
Employment for 220 people

28. Programmes in action: Green Industry Area – Nurmes
Total area of 50 hectares
Designed for bioindustry and circular economy
Environmental impact assessment made for wood-based industry and energy production
Vacant plots available with urban infrastructure
New railroad terminal and logistic services for round wood and industrial products

29. Member of the Forested Regions Network in Europe
Developing and implementing regional (forest-based) bioeconomy strategies
Identifying successful policies and policy measures as well as existing barriers with an impact on forest-based bioeconomy
Facilitating European forest-based value chains and value-added products and services
Developing innovative financing models to help boost forest-based circular bioeconomy regions across Europe

30. Welcome to the Forest Capital of Europe!