Brussels, 05/02/2014 (Agence Europe) - On 4 February, the European Commission gave the go-ahead to Finnish plans to grant Lahti Energia €14.725 million of state aid for a gasification plant in Lahti run by energy company Lahti Energia. This will be the biggest such plant in the world. In line with EU state aid guidelines for protection of the environment, the Commission says the plant will help the EU achieve its climate objectives without undue distorting of competition in the single market. This is a cheaper and cleaner way of generating energy than current techniques, generating more energy and heat and with a far lower carbon footprint than heating from fossil fuels. The plant is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 279,000 tonnes a year. (EH/transl.fl)