• Year of Preserve the Polar Regions and Glaciers. Centenary of electricity

    Alands  2009.01.22

    In issue: Souvenir sheet(s): 1   

    Printing: 4-colour offset, Metal FX, embossing

    Printable Version

  • Perforation type: 12 ¼x12 ¾

    Subject:

    2 euros. A thundercloud with a lightning, the name and the logo of release, wind turbine.

     

    Additional:

    *On 22 January, Åland Post issues a miniature sheet as part of the joint stamp series ‘Preserve the Polar Regions and Glaciers’ in which more than 40 posts from around the world take part. The Åland contribution features a wind turbine, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the introduction of electricity in Åland.

    On 1 January 2009, a hundred years have passed since electricity was first introduced in Mariehamn, Åland. The initiator was Julius Sundblom, the founder of the local newspaper Tidningen Åland. He had procured a top modern electrically driven high-speed press for his printing house in the autumn of 1908. Consequently, a power station became a necessity and the limited company Ab Mariehamns Elektricitetsverk was founded. Due to the very high prices for the electric current produced, however, only a few citizens were prepared to put money in ‘this modernity’. Other parts of Åland were gradually wired but it took its time. In fact it was not until the end of the 1970s that the most remote archipelago islands had been connected with the mains.

    Wind power is the one source of energy being continuously developed in windswept Åland, which today has 22 wind turbines. Åland lies in the front in Finland when it comes to developing wind power. Since this is a climate friendly energy alternative, our province is planning for the major part of its future electrical supply to come from wind power.

    Our miniature sheet ‘Electricity 100 years’ is part of the joint series of issues ‘Preserve the Polar Regions and Glaciers’, in which more than 40 posts from around the world take part. 

    The Åland miniature sheet features a wind turbine with a flash of lightning in the background. The symbol of this joint issue, an ice crystal, can be seen in the upper left corner. The wind turbine is embossed and the rest of the sheet is supplied with Metal FX effect.

    Size (of sheet, booklet) mm: 120x80

    Topics: Wind turbines