‘Smart & Clean’ project in the Helsinki capital region
Keilaranta, Finland, May 26, 2016: Neste is a founding member of the Smart & Clean foundation for the Helsinki capital region, established by the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra. The purpose of the foundation is to develop the Helsinki capital region Area and Lahti into a world-class testing area for solutions that mitigate climate change.
The foundation focuses on producing and assembling projects to seek low-carbon solutions for traffic, food, housing and energy, among other applications. The aim is for the Helsinki capital region to function as a testing platform for low-carbon products and services for residents’ and companies’ everyday lives. At the same time, the region is a showcase for Finnish and international companies by introducing the best solutions to the challenges faced by cities. The region is hoped to attract investments, create jobs and support the emergence of new low-carbon business.
“Of the foundation’s spearhead themes, traffic and moving are particularly close to Neste. We can, for example, support the aim of public transport in the Helsinki region not to produce any CO2 emissions in the future,” says Simo Honkanen, SVP, Sustainability and Public Affairs at Neste and member of the Board of the Smart & Clean foundation.
“Our solutions already reduce greenhouse gas emissions from traffic by over six million tons a year around the world. In the United States, the cities of San Francisco and Oakland, for example, have considerably reduced their carbon footprint with our products. With the Smart & Clean cooperation, we will also support the cities in our home market in their own climate projects,” says Matti Lievonen, President and CEO of Neste.
The partners in the foundation include the Helsinki capital region cities Helsinki, Espoo, Kauniainen and Vantaa, as well as the City of Lahti and the Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council. Other companies besides Neste include Caverion, Fortum, Gasum, Helen, Kone, St1, Vaisala and YIT, the research and educational institutions Aalto University, University of Helsinki, Lappeenranta University of Technology, VTT and Sitra, as well as the State of Finland. The foundation will operate for five years, and its activities are funded through donations and grants.
Neste is a pioneer in oil refining and renewable solutions and the world’s leading producer of renewable diesel with an annual production capacity of more than 2 million tons.
Source: Neste Corporation