Increased geopolitical uncertainty has highlighted the need for energy self-sufficiency, particularly in Europe. In addition, emission reduction targets, the higher prices of emission allowances and other incentives to increase the use of renewable energy have improved the competitiveness of solar heat. Meriaura Group’s Renewable Energy business focuses on segments with high growth potential. These include the following: large solar parks; smart solutions based on solar power for commercial and industrial properties, ports, housing companies and single-family homes; industrial-scale solar district heating; and large systems for generating heat for industrial processes. In terms of solar heat, the company has strong references and a good market position, especially in France, Germany and Poland, where the demand for solar thermal solutions is expected to grow rapidly. In the future, growth will be sought not only in the solar thermal business, but also in large solar power parks and energy storage facilities.
The market for energy solutions for buildings is expected to grow significantly across the EU. In properties, smart energy solutions are becoming more common, combining local energy production, energy storage and smart energy control. The EU Energy Efficiency Directive requires the use of solar energy in all new buildings if its use is technically and economically feasible. In practice, this means the installation of solar panels or collectors in new single-family homes by 2029. Public buildings larger than 250 square metres must have solar panels installed by 2030, and smaller new public buildings by 2026.
-Meriaura Group´s Financial Statement Release on 21 February 2025
Meriaura Group considers its outlook for 2025 in marine logistics to be relatively good despite the uncertainty of the general economic situation and the weakening freight market. Thanks to a good contract base, demand is estimated to remain at the 2024 level.
The demand for dry cargo transport is estimated to vary by product group. However, Meriaura’s contracts mainly consist of the transport of commodities that are not particularly sensitive to business cycles, such as fertilisers, grain, feed raw materials, renewable energy raw materials and minerals. The bulk business is largely based on annual contracts. Meriaura estimates that around two-thirds of its bulk transport volume and revenue will continue to come from contract customers in 2025, and that the freight level of contract shipments will remain stable throughout the contract period. Spot sales, which are more difficult to predict, play an important role in optimising traffic and ship utilisation rates.
The existing order backlog for project shipments also creates a good starting point for the fleet for 2025. The demand for heavy special transport is expected to remain strong even in the longer term, thanks to investments in renewable energy, for example.
Recycled biofuels
The decline in the world market price of oil during 2024 has increased the price gap between biofuels and fossil fuels, and this has slowed down the growth in the demand for biofuel. However, the green transition and emissions trading regulations have continuously increased customers’ interest in low-emission shipments. Meriaura Group believes that the demand for the low-emission transport concept, and thus also for biofuels, will increase in the near future.
-Meriaura Group´s Financial Statement Release on 21 February 2025