15.11.2023
Meeting newsletter of the secretariat of the regional Cooperation Group
Open calls for applications
The open calls for applications for the Renewable and Skilled Finland 2021-2027 programme can be found on the website: EURA 2021: Call for applications
The Secretariat of the Provincial Cooperation Group supports the following projects for funding Sustainable Renewable and Skilled Finland 2021-2027 from the EU Regional and Structural Policy Programme
Kuusamo Bio- and Circular Economy Park Energy Wood Terminal
Applicant: City of Kuusamo
Execution period: 9 May 2023 – 30 June 2025
Total cost estimate: € 2 532 261
ERDF and State funding requested: 1 772 582 €
The aim of the project is to speed up investments in the bio- and circular economy park, support the development of the area and increase the attractiveness of the area. With regard to the implementation of investments, a number of actors are targeted for the region. The project will implement a 6-hectare energy wood terminal.
Highway to ICT
Applicant: Oulu University of Applied Sciences Ltd
Co-implementers: Lapland University of Applied Sciences Ltd and Centria University of Applied Sciences Ltd
Total cost: € 571 734
Aid requested: 457 386 €, Northern Ostrobothnia 274 432 €
Execution period: 1 January 2024 – 31 August 2026
The aim is to offer low-threshold university-level education and to guide new experts to diverse tasks in the ICT sector. The training consists of content related to software testing, low code and no code skills, and ICT business.
JATKOT - Developing continuous learning
Applicant: Oulu University of Applied Sciences Ltd
Execution period: 1.11.2023-31.10.2025
Total cost: 325 790 €
Aid requested: € 260 632
The aim is to develop processes for Oamk that take into account foresight data and the needs of working life and enable a suitable response to the skills needs of working life. The project supports the competence of Oamk's teaching staff in producing continuous learning services and working life-oriented pedagogical solutions. In addition, the project will collect and share good practices and thus support the systematic development of continuous learning among stakeholders.
Restoration and sustainable further use of areas leaving peat production in Oulu - TUPAS
Applicant: City of Oulu
Execution period: From 1 January to 31 December 2024
Total cost: € 275 336
Aid requested: 220 269 €
The project focuses on the restoration of four former peat production areas, mainly owned by the City of Oulu, and the planning of sustainable further use. In the first phase of the project, action-level restoration/follow-up plans will be produced for Turvesuo, Miehonsuo and Haarasuo in the Sanginjoki catchment area and Ahvensuo in the Iijoki catchment area. A restoration pilot will be carried out in the peat bog area. The pilot involves the restoration of the transitional zone and the immediate vicinity of the area to a sustainable form of further use. The know-how gained from the pilot will be used in the second phase to be implemented, for which funding will be applied for separately. In the second phase, approximately 150 hectares of former peat production areas will be restored and/or rehabilitated for sustainable reuse on the basis of implemented plans.
NIHAK GREEN DEAL
Applicant: Nivala-Haapajärvi region NIHAK ry
Execution period: 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2025
Total cost: €448 203
Aid requested: € 358 555
The aim is to serve SMEs operating in the region by strengthening their skills and capacity to respond to the rapidly growing demand for investment; create new business opportunities for SMEs in the region and directly and indirectly create new jobs; serve the delivery of investments in the green transition and their overall acceptability; serve the establishment of a completely new production activity; strengthen local demand for services and the regional economy as a whole through an increase in indirect demand; contribute to the smooth implementation of the region’s ongoing green transition investment projects and ensure the attractiveness of the region’s green transition investment environment and strengthen the attractiveness of the region’s green transition investment environment by creating an effective SME cooperation network.
OYSTER Health and Life Science incubator
Applicant: City of Oulu
Sub-applicant: Oulu University of Applied Sciences Ltd and University of Oulu
Execution period: 01/01/2024 – 30/04/2026
Total cost estimate: €1 880 456
ERDF and State funding requested: €1 504 364
The aim is to create new health and life science companies and business operations in the Oulu region that will promote the commercialisation of new research innovations and the creation of new jobs, develop the incubator model, ensuring the functionality of the concept, and create an action plan and business model for the consolidation of incubator operations.
Green liquor sac in foaming, Green Lime
Applicant: University of Oulu
Execution period: From 1.8.2023 to 31.7.2025
Total cost estimate: € 496 796
ERDF and State funding requested: € 397 437
The aim of the project is to develop as a side stream the processing and use of industrial green liquor lees as a pH regulator in the flotation process: develop the pre-treatment of green liquor so that green liquor fines from several factories and processes can become a stable product for mining; demonstrate the CO2 reduction potential of green liquor lees compared to primary burnt lime; Demonstrate the functionality of green liquor lees as a reliable increaser of the pH of flotation processes and ensure the effects of the different components of green liquor lees on the functioning of the flotation process with different ores.
Demolition - Demolition as part of urban construction - eco-efficient use of demolition materials in infrastructure and real estate construction
Applicant: University of Oulu
Sub-applicant: Oulu University of Applied Sciences Ltd
Execution period: 01/01/2024 – 30/04/2026
Total cost estimate: 1 375 997 €
ERDF and State funding requested: 1 100 797 €
uThe goal is to develop a new kind of value chain for construction, starting from the fact that demolition is part of the beginning of the life cycle model. New methods for utilising demolition materials will be studied and tested in the pilot projects. Particular attention is paid to new working methods that crush the aggregate directly for reuse at the demolition site or in its immediate vicinity without transporting the materials to a separate processing site. Demolition pilots monitor the amount of crushing dust, noise and vibration and develop ways to combat them. The laboratory is studying demolition materials that cannot be utilised at the moment, but that would become usable thanks to the new pre-treatments being developed.
The Secretariat of the Provincial Cooperation Group did not support the following project to be funded under the EU Regional and Structural Policy Programme Renewable and Skilled Finland 2021-2027:
A triple leap into the services of sports clubs, applicant North Ostrobothnia Sports Association. The provincial cooperation group is asked to give a negative opinion on the project.
In addition, the following issues were addressed:
- The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia processed the ERDF project applications of the Renewable and Skilled Finland 2021-2027 programme for the period from 1 September to 13 October 2023. Thirty applications were submitted and a total of approximately EUR 9.9 million was applied for.
- The topical issues of the EU's EAFRD were reviewed.
- Meetings of the MYR Secretariat in spring 2024: 24.1., 27.2., 26.3., 24.4., 22.5. and 18.6.2024.
Next meeting
The next meeting of the secretariat of the Provincial Cooperation Group will be held on 12 December 2023.
