Lounapuisto is a circular economy park built in Salo
Lounapuisto circular economy park is a circular economy hub being built in Salo. Lounapuisto offers an area and platform for a wide variety of circular economy activities. Multifaceted and innovative circular economy solutions are developed at Lounapuisto. Lounapuisto is part of Finland’s extensive network of circular economy parks.
Lounapuisto covers an area of approximately 200 hectares. At present, some ten companies, with a combined total of approximately 100 employees, operate in the area. The value of industrial investments is approximately EUR 115 million.
Lounapuisto offers a platform and network for multifaceted circular economy activities and cooperation. At Lounapuisto, innovative circular economy solutions are developed in cooperation with companies,educational institutions, research institutes and other actors.
Employees:
approx.
100
Companies
in the area:
approx. 10
Area:
approx.
200 ha
Industrial
investments: EUR 115 million
Vision 2035:
“Lounapuisto is a circular economy gem”
The availability of virgin raw materials is becoming increasingly limited, and the prices of many materials have risen significantly. The search for and use of substitute materials, the more efficient use and recycling of materials already in use, and the provision of services form the core of circular economy activities.
Energy-positive Lounapuisto focuses on circular economy activities, in which area companies make use of local resources, applying and developing technologies for energy and biomaterial production. In addition to the production and storage of electricity and district heating, key areas for development include biogas,
recycled fertilisers, solar and wind power, and Power-to-X (P2X) technologies and the hydrogen economy.
The circular economy ecosystem broadly encompasses local, regional, national and international stakeholders, and Lounapuisto is being developed into a national important circular economy service and research hub.
Lounapuisto circular economy park 2021–2023 (ERDF)
The project has ended, but the development of the Lounapuisto circular economy park continues.
The basis was to make the Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plant in Salo, which was already in operation, and the Korvenmäki environs a key circular economy area and connect it with other circular economy parks in Southwest Finland.
The project complied circular economy reports and techno-economic analyses related to the area and, in general, this growth sector as well as assessed future markets and drafted a phenomenon map and vision for the future. All companies already operating in the area were invited to participate in this vision work.
After the vision work was done, a systematic cooperation was launched for companies and actors whose waste and side streams could be used as resources for new and existing products and services. The project was, from start to finish, open and interactive.
The project measures were assembled into concrete work packages:
- Shared vision and mindset
- Building the Lounapuisto circular economy ecosystem, launching and facilitating activities, establishing partnerships between higher education and companies
- Communications
The area (currently under the working name of Lounapuisto), which was a product of the project, was profiled as one of Southern Finland’s innovative circular economy environments, an attractive investment opportunity for new cleantech and environmental sector companies, and a testing environment for equipment and application suppliers.
The project was administered by Yrityssalo, with contributions made by the Turku University of Applied Sciences (UAS), University of Turku and Lounavoima Oy. The project run time was 1 December 2021–31 August 2023. Project activities started in January 2022. The project received ERDF funding.
