ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Promoting energy efficiency is part of national and EU energy and climate policy, aiming to reduce the amount of energy required to produce services, outputs and products. Improved energy efficiency reduces carbon dioxide emissions, lowers energy consumption and generates cost savings.
The Energy Efficiency Directive (EU) 2023/1791 was most recently updated in 2023 as part of the EU Fit for 55 package. This package aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at EU level by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The Energy Efficiency Directive lays down extensive provisions on EU and national energy efficiency targets, obligations and measures. The revised directive significantly raises the EU’s energy efficiency target, requiring an additional 11.7% reduction in energy consumption by 2030 compared to the projections of the EU 2020 reference scenario.
The Energy Efficiency Directive has a long history. The previous update of the directive took place in 2018, when the earlier 2012 directive was amended. Regarding the 2020 targets of Directive 2012/27/EU and its amending Directive (EU) 2018/2002, Finland achieved the targets set in the directive. Finland clearly exceeded its 2020 targets for both primary and final energy consumption, as well as the required cumulative energy savings in 2014–2020 (EED 2012 and 2018, Article 7).
In implementing the Energy Efficiency Directive, the Energy Efficiency Act (1429/2014) has been used in part; it was updated by the Act amending the Energy Efficiency Act (1382/2025). The amendments entered into force on 1 January 2026. Implementation of the directive also draws on voluntary measures such as the energy efficiency agreement scheme and energy advice.
The Energy Authority (Energiavirasto) plays a key role in implementing the Energy Efficiency Directive. The Energy Authority manages and steers energy efficiency measures, including energy efficiency agreements, energy audits, energy advice and communication. The Energy Authority is also responsible for preparing and communicating product-group-specific matters related to ecodesign and energy labelling.
The Energy Authority has a supervisory role regarding companies’ mandatory energy management systems and mandatory energy audits, cost-benefit analyses related to cogeneration and the use of waste heat, public sector reporting obligations, and compliance with the ‘energy efficiency first’ principle. The Energy Authority is also responsible for assessing the impacts of policy measures and for reporting to the European Commission. In addition, the Energy Authority annually commissions Motiva Oy to carry out practical tasks related to promoting energy efficiency.
New Energy Efficiency Agreements have been negotiated for 2026–2035
The government and different sectors have negotiated new Energy Efficiency Agreements for the period of 2026–2035. The agreements cover business and industry, the property sector and the public sector. They play a key role in fulfilling the binding obligations of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive. Joining the new agreement period will begin in October 2025.
Reporting from data centres to the European database has started
Operators of data centres with a power demand of at least 500 kW must report their data to the European Commission’s database from autumn 2024 onwards. In the next years, the reports on the previous year’s activities must be submitted annually by 15 May.