Category 18 April 2019

Motiva Group: a state-owned specialist in energy and material efficiency

Motiva Group is an expert company owned by the Finnish state promoting efficient and sustainable use of energy and materials. It offers energy auditing and counselling on energy efficiency agreements, material efficiency, renewable energy and international cooperation for various stakeholders such as industry and SMEs, the public sector, schools and private households.

The challenge

Enterprises, public sector organisations, as well as consumers are often unaware of the potential cost savings connected with resource efficiency. Raising awareness among these groups regarding resource and energy efficiency requires targeted communication initiatives.

The measure

The Finnish Motiva Group is an expert company promoting efficient and sustainable use of energy and materials. It is providing support to companies, public sector institutions and consumers with information and solutions leading to resource efficiency and sustainable consumption. Since it began in 2000, the company of 56 staff operates as an affiliated government agency and is to 100% owned by the Finnish state. There is furthermore Motiva Services Ltd - a wholly owned subsidiary of Motiva Ltd with 18 staff, founded in 2008. It mainly offers services in consulting, training, education and communication.

Motiva Group helps clients to reach their goals using suitable tools and models. Its work involves the following specific activities:

Energy efficiency agreements (development, monitoring)Energy audits and analyses (development, advice for clients, training for auditors, monitoring of results and quality)Green technologies (accelerating adoption)Managing energy use (management systems and their continuous improvement, energy efficiency in industry, energy efficiency in buildings and energy efficiency in transport)Renewable energy (integrating renewable energy and increasing sustainable use, accelerating the adoption of technologies)Material efficiency (efficient use of materials, resource monitoring)Monitoring and impact assessment (Impacts of programmes and measures)Environmental labelling (Nordic Swan Ecolabel , European Ecolabel)Advice and communications (influencing attitudes and behaviour, dissemination of information and good practices, purchasing services, coordination of energy advice for consumers, coordination of mobility management)Training (training programmes, events).

Lessons learnt (Barriers, Success factors)

Motiva's success in setting up synergies among public and private stakeholders to save natural resources and reduce energy consumption is reflected in various publications and statistical documents.

Motiva has facilitated voluntary energy efficiency agreements and the implementation of obligatory measure (through the EU Energy Services Directive 2006) in the public sector (including municipalities, public transport), and in the private sector (including oil industry, logistics and sustainable transport, construction industry, household energy advice).

Motiva successfully contributes to Finland's objective to increase the use of renewable sources of energy (especially bioenergy) and reduce energy consumption.

One of its main instruments offers support to business with the Material Efficiency Programme, which includes the assessment of direct and indirect material flows and associated cost-efficiency analyses, and recommendations for improvement.

Motiva in Finland is active in European and international energy networks. As the national contact point, it provides information and assistance to organisations about EU programmes and participates in European and other international projects.

Further deployment

Motiva is a state-owned company playing a crucial role in supporting the Finnish authorities’ efforts to implement the national climate and energy strategy and the EU energy services directive. Motiva is estimated to be beyond 9 on the GML scale.

Links:

WebsiteMotiva case study