TEK and TFiF chose Polar Night Energy, ABB’s SynRM-VSD work group and Sitowise Ltd Landscape as the winners of this year’s ITU Technology Awards.

Polar Night Energy's Sand Battery – the winner of this year’s Breakthrough Award – provides a solution for storing thermal energy. It reduces the need to generate energy by combustion and enhances electricity grid stability. The technology enables storing energy for longer than with electric batteries. The Sand Battery can be used to electrify and decarbonize a variety of industrial processes and district heating networks.

ABB has developed a synchronous reluctance motor (SynRM) and variable speed drive (VSD) package that gives a significant boost to the energy efficiency of electric motors. According to the award jury, this proves that businesses, too, engage in cutting-edge research.

Sitowise Ltd Landscape, which has offices in eight different towns and cities in Finland, has built a strong team spirit. Their ways of working have also been adopted by the company's other divisions. The Forerunners Award jury praised Sitowise Ltd Landscape for fostering a positive atmosphere at work and for actively contributing to making the industry better.

The 70 newly elected councillors represent approximately 85,000 members in TEK’s decision-making. Unity and Teekkari Spirit 2 received five additional seats, the Greens three, the Left two and the Finns Party one. The average age of the council members is 48, and 51 % of the councillors are women.

TEK members elected 70 councillors to represent them in TEK’s decision-making during the 2026–2029 term. The National Coalition Party lost five seats in the council elections but still remains the largest group with 14 seats. Unity and Teekkari Spirit 2, The Greens and Left gained additional seats. The newcomer, the Finns Party, won one seat. A total of 12,216 votes were cast, and voter turnout was 22.1%.

A total of 12,216 members voted in TEK’s council elections held in March, generating more than 36,000 euros to donate. TEK donates three euros per vote to charitable causes chosen by the voters. MIELI Mental Health Finland and its work supporting the mental health of children and young people received the most votes. The election results will be published on April 1.

The council discussed the employment situation and recent legislative changes. The removal of “a weighty reason” from the grounds for dismissal does not currently seem to affect TEK members broadly. The council approved TEK’s financial statements and annual report and confirmed the student representatives for 2026.

Electronic voting for TEK’s General Council elections is open until Monday, 30 March at 12 noon. Find out about the electoral alliances, electoral coalitions and candidates below.

TEK’s council has been elected for several decades already. “Women and pensioners were active,” says Matti Hirvikallio, who served as secretary of the election committee in the early 2000s. Ideas to attract voters have included, for example, giving out packets of coffee.

In March, 70 representatives will be elected in TEK's General Council elections to represent approximately 83,000 members. There are a total of 503 candidates.

Council elections do not happen out of thin air. The Election Committee is responsible for ensuring that the elections run smoothly. In the run-up to the 2026 elections, the committee has been discussing issues such as the election compass and electronic voting. What goes on behind the scenes before members get to vote?