Companies participating in the voluntary Energy Efficiency Agreement achieved annual energy savings of 349 gigawatt-hours (GWh) during the 2017–2025 agreement period, reaching 150% of the target set for the sector.
During the 2017–2025 agreement period, food industry companies implemented a total of 982 energy efficiency measures. By the end of 2025, these measures had resulted in annual energy savings of approximately 349 GWh. This is equivalent to the average annual energy consumption of around 14,000 electrically heated detached houses.
The energy savings target for the agreement period was 232 GWh, meaning that the food industry achieved an impressive 150% of its target. A total of 54 food industry companies and their 110 sites contributed to this achievement.
The greatest energy savings were achieved through improvements in the energy efficiency of heating systems, production processes and equipment, and ventilation systems. Additional savings resulted from measures targeting lighting, cooling, steam and condensate systems.
Voluntary agreements continue to deliver strong results
In Finland, Energy Efficiency Agreements have long played a key role in meeting the country’s obligations under EU energy efficiency legislation. The voluntary agreement model has proven effective both in the food industry and across other sectors.
Energy Efficiency Agreements are an important national instrument for achieving the targets set out in the EU Energy Efficiency Directive. Finland has thus been able to meet these requirements without introducing additional national obligations.
The new Energy Efficiency Agreement period began in 2026 and will continue until 2035. Ensuring the continued success of the voluntary model requires strong participation and results throughout the new agreement period.
