Pohjantuulen Voima: winds of change

“I love nature and growing up in a country where nature has always been part of my life – there’s definitely an element of wanting to preserve that for my children,” says Juha Lamberg, Managing Director of Pohjantuulen Voima Oy (PVO).

Created together with Pentti Ylinampa, PVO is a small Finnish company with only Juha and Pentti as full-time employees. They specialise in generating electricity from renewable sources, particularly wind power.

VETERANS OF THE GAME

Both Pentti and Juha are veterans of the wind power game. Juha spent 10 years in the renewable industry, working for a larger company that constructed wind farms and turbines. “I got to know the business and saw its potential. Pentti and I realised we could buy wind turbines, develop them, and sell them,” he recalls. “We get opportunities from what drops from the table of big companies,” he smiles. “These turbines we bought have proved to be very valuable.”

Wind turbines produce electricity without emitting CO₂ or other greenhouse gases during operation, making them a clean source of energy. PVO now owns several turbines and earns income by feeding electricity into the national grid – providing Finnish homes and industry with a local, renewable, and clean source of energy.

COMPANY-DEFINING SUPPORT

With the support of EU-guaranteed loans through OP Osuuskunta, the largest financial cooperative group in Finland. This allowed them to buy wind turbines at the Riutunkari wind farm in Oulu, Finland – and ultimately support the country’s transition toward climate neutrality. “The support from both the EIF and OP has been a trigger for us,” explains Juha. “We know that this has been a blessing – as normally banks are very careful on taking risks on a small company like ours.”

MAKING OUR MARK

Unsurprisingly, community relations are vital for PVO. Not only does the sector require cooperation with other renewable energy firms who buy or sell turbines, but also productive communication with municipalities who permit the construction of wind farms.

Most importantly, it requires open dialogue with local residents. “Pentti and I have visited the people living near the turbines, listening to their concerns and making sure they feel heard,” Juha says. While environmentally friendly, wind turbines do emit a low-frequency hum and whooshing sound – and their visual impact can affect the natural landscape. “There’s always an element of explaining the environmental benefits when speaking with people,” Juha adds.

When asked about the future, Juha points to hybrid wind parks as the next big step. “They’re still relatively new in Finland, and PVO can get these hybrid models up and running fairly quickly – we already have a contract with a local company.” He pauses and adds: “We want to stay here in Finland. Our company is small, but we’re making our mark. That’s good enough for us.”

Location: Rovaniemi, Finland
Financial Intermediary: OP Osuuskunta 
SME: Pohjantuulen Voima
Sector: renewable energy
Number of employees: 2
Financing purpose: business development
EIF financing: InvestEU