| Summary: | The aim of this thesis was to prepare the energy balance of Northern Savonia comprising the year 2008. The purpose of energy balance was to clarify the present state of energy management in the region of Northern Savonia in order to support local planning and decision making, and to produce information for Bioenergy Programme of Eastern Finland. Bioenergy Programme of Eastern Finland is determined to develop the use of renewable primary energy sources in the regions of Northern and Southern Savonia, Northern and Southern Karelia and Kainuu. Energy balance consists of the elements of primary energy, energy production and energy consumption. Primary energy is used to produce energy in terms of heat and electricity. The produced energy is consumed by housing and agriculture, industry, services and buildings, and transportation. If there is not enough energy production inside the region, energy will be imported. Energy management aims to increase the amount of the solvency ratio of heat and electricity production by adding the amount of renewable primary energy sources and by improving the energy efficiency in all operations. Characteristics for the energy management of Northern Savonia is decentralised heat production, dependence on imported electricity, and the high usage of renewable energy sources, especially peat, black liquor and solid wood fuels. Wood processing industry is not only the biggest consumer of energy but also the remarkable producer of energy. In the future, it will be challenge for Northern Savonia to turn the negative population development into positive. This can be done only by remaining the existing work places and creating new ones within the next ten years. Northern Savonia is rich in renewable primary energy sources and potential new work places can be found in energy business. Regional Council of Northern Savonia is working on to advance the use of local primary energy resources such as forest chips, biogas and field biomass, to develop harvesting methods and technology, and to create the production capacity of bio fuels.
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