"It's not easy to make these PPA setups. Mind Energy are the expert. They solve every challenge, so it never becomes a problem for us. We are not presented to problems, but to opportunities."
A key ingredient: Making renewable energy reliable for food manufacturing
In a volatile market, Snellman Group needs predictable energy costs and a genuine sustainable solution. Mind Energy delivers both in a 10-year wind PPA and, crucially, managing the hour-by-hour balancing to guarantee a stable supply and a reliable budget.
From high-quality meats to the perfect panini, Snellman Group has delivered quality food to Finnish homes for over 70 years. Running the advanced food factories that make this possible requires a special ingredient: a stable, predictable, and sustainable energy supply.
That stability is paramount, both for operations and finances. In recent years, however, volatile energy markets have made budgeting a serious challenge.
"When we make a budget, we want to be able to trust it. With the fluctuations, it was becoming very hard to keep our energy costs stable.
Knowing the price in the future and limiting our risk was our main motivation for seeking a PPA agreement,"
says Markus Snellman, Technical Leader in Snellman Group.
The search for a long-term renewable energy agreement revealed another common market challenge. To secure financing, new wind and solar projects are often structured on a ‘pay-as-produced’ basis. This model transfers the risk of weather uncertainties to the consumer. For Snellman, this was not a solution. You can’t run a meat processing plant, a panini factory, or a pet food production line only when the wind blows.
They need a partner who can help them not just source renewable energy but make it reliable. Both in terms of volume and cost.
About the solution
Snellman and Mind Energy
Snellman has a 10-year wind PPA through Mind Energy.
Mind Energy functions as Snellman's balance responsible party, managing the hour-by-hour balancing.
Keeping power flowing when the wind stops
Building on a long-standing relationship, Mind Energy stepped in as Snellman's balance responsible party, with the task of making reality add up, hour by hour. Snellman now get most of their consumption covered by wind energy delivered from the Palokangas wind farm in northern Finland.
But rather than passing on the raw, fluctuating production, Mind Energy absorb the intermittency and the risk.
The mechanics are straightforward in principle but complex in practice. Mind Energy receives the energy from the wind farm and delivers an agreed hourly volume to Snellman's factories. If the wind farm produces more than Snellman needs, the surplus is sold into the Nordic power market. If it produces less, Mind Energy procures the difference to ensure supply is never interrupted. Snellman is shielded from the volatility, receiving a predictable block of power at a price fixed 10 years in advance.
"It's not easy to make these PPA setups. Mind Energy are the expert. They solve every challenge, so it never becomes a problem for us. We are not presented to problems, but to opportunities,” says Markus Snellman.
A decade of stability and sustainability
The result is a partnership that provides the certainty Snellman needs to run its business effectively. The company has secured budget stability with a fixed power price, and the financial peace of mind is matched by operational reliability, as the guaranteed volume of power eliminates the risk of disruption.
The agreement also delivers on Snellman's deep commitment to sustainability, which is closely tied to a decades-long focus on saving and reusing energy.
“Reducing our carbon footprint has always been part of the Snellman DNA. We installed our first heat pump 20 years ago and strive to throw away as little as possible. That translates to everything from using excess energy from our cooling systems to using the bones that are not suited for meat production in pet food production,” explains Markus Snellman.
With a PPA, Snellman makes a long-term commitment to buy power from the wind farm, supporting the development of new renewable energy sources and helping to accelerate society's green transition.
So, for Snellman, this agreement is the latest chapter in a long history of sustainable thinking. At the same time, it contributes to a more stable and predictable supply of energy at a time when the energy market is becoming increasingly complex.
