Helsinki Energy Challenge is an ambitious project with the aim of re-creating the urban heating. The global one-million-euro challenge competition seeks to answer the question: How can we decarbonise the heating of Helsinki, using as little biomass as possible? It is time to reveal the results of the competition.
Who made it to the finals and how did those teams solve the heating challenge of the City of Helsinki? And, what did the international jury decide – who will grab the prize? Moreover, what has the City of Helsinki learnt during the competition process?
Welcome to Helsinki Energy Challenge Final Event!
Time: 16 March 2021, 14:00-16:30 EET (13:00-15:30 CET)
Live stream: https://www.helsinkikanava.fi/en/web/helsinkikanava/player/event/home?e…
14:00
Helsinki Energy Challenge journey
Laura Uuttu-Deschryvere, Project Director, Helsinki Energy Challenge
Who made it to the finals and how did those teams solve the challenge?
Presenting the Helsinki Energy Challenge Finalists (five of the finalists)
Short break
Presenting the Helsinki Energy Challenge Finalists (five of the finalists)
Energy transition & future of urban heating – discussion with experts
Short break
15:50
Mayor of Helsinki, Jan Vapaavuori
Announcing the Award Winners
16:15 Closing
About the Helsinki Energy Challenge
The climate crisis is the most crucial challenge of our time, and cities have a key role in driving the shift to a low-carbon economy. Helsinki is one of the leading cities in the transition towards a sustainable future, with the goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2035. But there is an issue to overcome. Currently, more than half of the city’s heat is produced with coal.
In order to achieve carbon-neutrality, we need radically new solutions to meet Helsinki’s heat demand. And we are not alone. To fight climate change, sustainable heating solutions are needed in cities all over the world. Heating not just beyond coal, but also beyond burning biomass.
That is why we launched the Helsinki Energy Challenge. A global one-million-euro challenge competition to answer the question: How can we decarbonise the heating of Helsinki, using as little biomass as possible?
The Helsinki Energy Challenge was a year-long process. The competition was kicked off on 27 February 2020 and it inspired 252 teams from 35 countries from around the world to participate. Ten finalist teams were selected in November 2020 and invited to join the co-creation phase of the competition.
During co-creation phase, which included a 3-day intensive virtual boot camp, the teams received support and further information to be able to develop their solutions further. The finalist teams submitted their final proposals in January 2021 and in February, the international jury evaluated the proposals and made their decisions.
With the Helsinki Energy Challenge, the City of Helsinki wanted to find long-term sustainable heating solutions and to act as a testbed for solutions that also other cities around the world can benefit from. The City of Helsinki is committed to sharing the lessons learned and results gained in the competition so that also other cities around the world can use them in their climate work.
