Ilmatar Energy, a Finnish company that builds and owns renewable energy facilities, is in the process of developing a 200 megawatt wind farm in the Vermassalo area of Virrat in Northern Pirkanmaa. The areas are owned by the Finnish forestry and natural capital company Finsilva plc.
The planning and permit process for the Vermassalo wind farm will kick off towards the end of 2022. The construction work is planned to take place in 2025–2026, and electricity generation should start around 2027–2028 according to the target schedule.
The Vermassalo wind power project is located in Northern Pirkanmaa, approximately ten kilometres from central Virrat, west of Vehmasjärvi. The tentative size of the project area owned by Finsilva is roughly 3,200 hectares, allowing 20–25 wind turbines to be placed in the area.
“Finsilva is a stable and well-known forest owner in Northern Pirkanmaa, which lays a good foundation for project development and long-term partnership. Our companies’ values match well, since accountability, local presence, and consideration of and engagement with interest groups and local communities play an important role in each company’s operating model. We are also happy about the fact that our projects will have a broad and long-term impact on Northern Pirkanmaa’s regional economy,” says Vice President of Projects Erkka Saario from Ilmatar.
“Creating facilities for renewable energy, such as wind power, is an important part of our strategy. Renewable energy is the fastest evolving form of energy in the world, and it presents our company with interesting opportunities that we have decided to take. We want to be at the forefront in the responsible and diverse utilisation of forest and natural capital,” says Managing Director of Finsilva Juha Hakkarainen.
The demarcation of the Vermassalo project’s plan area, and the placement and number of wind turbines will be decided on in more detail during the planning process, taking into account the reports, statements, opinions and discussions held with interest groups regarding the component master plan and environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedure. The demarcation of the project area is based on the Hanhisuo-Vehkamäki wind farm area indicated in the current Tampere region land use plan 2040.
The Vermassalo project area is located roughly seven kilometres from Ilmatar’s Tuuramäki wind power project, for which the component master plan process and concurrent EIA procedure were launched in June 2022.
Ilmatar’s Lylyharju wind power project is also located nearby, roughly 25 kilometres away. It is currently in the draft planning phase. The Vermassalo wind power project will look into the synergy benefits offered by the Tuuramäki and Lylyharju projects with regard to the electricity transmission solution used, among other things.
Currently, Ilmatar is building onshore wind power facilities at six wind farms, for a total of 63 turbines. Their total capacity will be 350 MW.
Additional information:
Lauri Vierto
Project Development Manager
Ilmatar Energy
lauri.vierto@ilmatar.fi
+358 50 376 5204
Juha Hakkarainen
Managing Director
Finsilva plc
juha.hakkarainen@finsilva.fi
+358 400 870 867
ILMATAR
Founded in 2011, Ilmatar is a Finnish energy company and an independent power producer that focuses exclusively on renewable energy. Ilmatar Energy’s operations include the development, construction and maintenance of renewable energy solutions, as well as electricity sales to consumers and businesses. Ilmatar owns its projects for their entire life cycle, which can be up to 40 years. Ilmatar employs 65 top professionals in renewable energy. Ilmatar’s public onshore wind power projects for the next few years have a total of 2,200 MW of capacity under development.
FINSILVA
The Finnish company Finsilva plc specialises in the responsible and diverse utilisation of forest and natural capital. The company provides economic, social and ecological wellbeing by developing sustainable forestry and creating profitable business from renewable energy and environmental compensation. Finsilva owns roughly 130,000 hectares of well-managed forest, most of which is located in Southern and Central Finland. Finsilva is one of the leading private and independent forest owners in Europe. It is owned by the forest funds of Dasos, and Metsärahasto II Ky (Ilmarinen).
