Finland

Overall assessment

Updated December 2022

After a consultation process between 2018 and 2019, Finland transposed the Clean Energy Package by introducing the notion of ‘Local Energy Communities’ (LECs) through the Decree 2020/1133, which has been integrated in the Decree 2021/767. To further clarify the process of balance settlement and the role of the DSO in the net metering mechanism, another Decree 2021/839 was published. So far, Finland has one definition of LECs and enables the sharing of electricity among the members of the energy community from production and storage facilities in a sort of virtual net metering framework.

Detailed assessment

Criteria of EU definition reflected in national definition

  • Open and voluntary is covered
  • Eligibility is covered
  • Effective control is covered
  • Proximity is covered

Level of detail in the elaboration of principles contained in EU criteria

  • Natural persons, municipalities or other local authorities or small or medium-sized companies can be members of the Local energy communities.Control is exercised by its members or shareholders. The members' or shareholders' electricity meters are located on the same property or on a property group
  • connected to the DSO network through the same connection point. The production and storage facilities must also be located under the same station.

Clearly defined purpose

Copy paste - LEC primary purpose is to produce benefits related to the environment, the economy or the social community for its members or shareholders or the area in which it operates, instead of monetary profit

ICA cooperative governance principles reflected

To the level mentioned in the Directive

Legal entities allowed

Not specified

Citizen participation is ensured

Not specified

Designated authority to oversee

Not specified

Number of definitions

1 – Local energy communities

Coherency between both definitions

n/a