Rental of areas to project developers

We assess the rental of areas and the possibility of a joint project on a case-by-case basis. In the assessment, we take into account both the preliminary number of power plants and the share of state-owned areas in the project area. If the project is suitable as a joint project, the cooperation model will be considered on a project-specific basis and we will negotiate it separately with the project developer.

If areas managed by Metsähallitus are located in a project area planned by a private project developer, the project developer must contact us well in advance before the planning and EIA processes begin.

We only rent areas approved for business use for wind power development. Wind power construction cannot be planned in nature reserves, national parks or state-owned areas reserved for conservation.  Areas unfit for wind power construction may also not overlap with the rotor blade sweep area. Those interested in leasing state-owned areas should find out in advance what areas are in conservation use.

Area investigation

If you are interested in utilising state-owned areas in your project, contact our wind power experts first. It is a good idea to ask us about the area reservation as early as possible, in any case before starting the planning and EIA processes.

The areas we manage cannot be planned for wind power construction unless there is a valid reservation or right of use agreement for that area with us.

The following information must be attached to the proposal on areas to be reserved for wind power use:

1. Main details of the project, e.g. the title of the project, the number of power plants in the entire project and the number of power plants located in Metsähallitus areas
2. The limits of the project area and presentation of the area to be reserved as a shp file
3. Preliminary number of power plants and placement of power plants and rotor sweep areas as a shp file
4. Status of land leases concluded in the project area
5. Status of the regional land use plan: whether the boundary of a regionally significant project is exceeded and whether the regional land use plan is marked in the project area
6. Preliminary project schedule

We expect our contract partners to have responsible and sustainable operating methods

We will review the customer information of our contracting partners, including the beneficial owners of the companies, and will not accept any parties to be our contracting partners that have been subject to the current sanctions imposed by Finland, the EU or the United States.

We require our contractual partners to commit to the Metsähallitus Partner Code of Conduct, which is based on Metsähallitus’ own Code of Conduct. The Partner Code of Conduct includes minimum requirements set by Metsähallitus for its contract partners that, in addition to the laws and regulations that apply to their business, they must observe in contractual relationships with Metsähallitus.

Internal preliminary study by Metsähallitus

We will launch an internal preliminary study of the areas in question when most of the land lease agreements with other landowners in the project area have been concluded. At this stage, there must be a preliminary decision on the regional boundaries of the wind power project and the number of wind power plants.

In the preliminary study, we consult Metsähallitus’ areas of responsibility on the significance of the areas from the perspective of nature conservation, wilderness management, forestry and other property development activities. During the preliminary study, we assess the suitability of the area for wind power use, taking into account natural values, environmental and landscape impacts and other use of the area. The duration of the procedure is approximately 2–3 months, but in some cases, you must also prepare for a longer processing time.

Reservation agreement

If the area is suitable for wind power use on the basis of our internal preliminary studies, the reservation agreement negotiations will be initiated. The reservation agreement is concluded for the preparation of the partial master plan for the wind power area, the EIA procedure and the research and investigation measures. The reservation agreement is fixed-term with an average period of validity of approximately 4 years. Other use of the area is allowed during the reservation agreement.

In the reservation agreement, the tenant must commit to the principles of Metsähallitus’ responsible operations.

Our customers must take into account, for example, the species and habitats to be protected and reindeer husbandry in the area already at the planning stage of the project.

We actively monitor the progress of the projects in state-owned areas as part of lobbying during the contract period.

License agreement

Once the project developer has completed the planning of the project and the reservation agreement is about to expire, negotiations on the rights of use agreement for the area will be initiated. The rights of use agreement will be introduced when it is time to apply for construction permits for the power plants.

The agreement entitles the holder to build in the wind power area and to produce electricity using wind power. The contract is fixed-term and is typically valid for 30-40 years.

Other uses of the area, such as hiking, hunting and forestry, are permitted during the rights of use period.

Restoration

At the end of the rights of use agreement, we require that the project developer restore the area in accordance with the valid legislation and official regulations. Our agreement also provides for guarantees for the restoration of the region.

Contact information