Pasi Herranen

Pasi Herranen serves as a Doctoral Candidate and University Teacher at the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems within Aalto University's School of Chemical Engineering. His academic role bridges energy systems engineering and sustainable agricultural innovation, focusing on optimizing renewable energy integration for urban food production systems while contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goals for sustainable cities and climate action.

Herranen's research spans Renewable Energy, Energy Systems, Wind Power, and Vertical Farming, with specific expertise in Electricity Cost Optimization and Variable Renewable Energy integration. His work demonstrates how wind power can be strategically deployed in controlled-environment agriculture to reduce operational costs and environmental footprints, addressing critical challenges in sustainable urban development and food security through interdisciplinary engineering solutions.

His seminal 2023 Applied Energy publication established a framework for wind-powered vertical farming systems that minimize electricity expenses, reflecting a growing research trend where energy engineering converges with agricultural technology to create climate-resilient food production models. This work exemplifies how variable renewable sources can be harnessed for resource-intensive urban farming applications.

Herranen has secured competitive research funding through two major projects: "Towards more resilient food system in the face of uncertainty" (Academy of Finland, 2020-2023) investigating climate adaptation in food systems, and "VIS: Vacuum Insulation System" (Business Finland, 2019-2021) developing energy-efficient building technologies. These grants highlight his ability to translate theoretical research into practical sustainability solutions.

His innovations have generated significant media attention across five press features, including Finnish coverage of energy-water-land conservation breakthroughs and international recognition of vacuum-insulated wooden greenhouse technology that eliminates sunlight dependence through LED systems while potentially multiplying crop yields year-round.