Cablegate: Finnish Minister Wired About Wirec 2008

VZCZCXRO1054
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHHE #0690 2501325
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071325Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3733
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000690

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

OES FOR OES/PDAS RENO HARNISH, OES/EGC GRIFFIN THOMPSON,
OES/ENV LORI BRUTTEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV SOCI ENGR EAID EPET TRGY KPAO FI
SUBJECT: FINNISH MINISTER WIRED ABOUT WIREC 2008

REF: STATE 80334

1. (U) Minister of Trade and Industry Mauri Pekkarinen is
very interested in participating in the 2008 Washington
International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC 2008) next
March. According to Henri Backman, Senior Advisor in the
Ministry of Trade and Industry, Pekkarinen would like to see
a sample schedule of the Conference as soon as possible. A
strong advocate of renewable energy sources, Pekkarinen is
also interested in possible speaking opportunities during the
Conference. Following the conference, Pekkarinen likely will
travel to California to learn about renewable energy
production on the west coast. Pekkarinen will also likely
visit FinNode, Finland,s business promotion office in San
Jose.

2. (U) According to government sources and press accounts,
Pekkarinen plans to introduce in Finland a &feed-in tariff8
scheme that will drive Finnish renewable energy production by
requiring a fixed, above-market price for energy from
renewable sources. Pekkarinen believes that current
market-based measures are insufficient to meet the EU,s
lofty renewable energy targets.

3. (U) Post is highlighting WIREC 2008 in public diplomacy
outreach efforts, especially those related to climate change.
HYATT

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