How can Helsinki be heated sustainably without coal and with as little biomass as possible? That is the question at the heart of the Helsinki Energy Challenge. The competition is open to innovators from all over the world working on sustainable heating solutions. The winner of the competition, to be selected by an international jury in March 2021, will receive one million euro.

It is still possible to register for the competition. Because of the COVID-crisis the deadline for applications has been moved from 31 May to 30 September. During this prolonged registration phase Helsinki will organize additional webinars and virtual events so that competitors can learn more about the challenge. Furthermore, throughout the application phase interested parties can ask clarifying questions to the organizers, through the Q&A page at the Helsinki Energy Challenge website.

The Helsinki Energy Challenge starts from the same idea as the AI4Cities project, namely that cities play a key role in the transition to a circular economy. The coronavirus has not changed that. As Helsinki Mayor Jan Vapaavuori notes, “we still need to stick to the climate goals. We still have to get rid of coal and we want to replace it with long term sustainable solutions. Climate change is a global crisis that can’t be solved through quick fixes.”

More information about the Helsinki Energy Challenge can be found on its homepage.