On 1 January 2009, a hundred years have passed since electricity was first introduced in Mariehamn, Àland. The initiator was Julius Sundblom, thè founder ofthe locai newspaper Tidningen Àland. He had procured a top modern electrically driven high-speed press for his printing house in thè autumn of 1908. Consequently, a power station became a necessity and thè limited company Ab Mariehamns Elektricitetsverk was founded. Due to thè very high prices for thè electric current produced, however, only a few citizens were prepared to put money in 'this modernity'. Other parts of Àland were gradually wired but it took its time. In fact it was not until thè end of thè 1970s that thè most remote archipelago islands had been connected with thè mains.
Wind power is thè one source of energy being continuously developed in windswept Àland, which today has 22 wind turbines. Àland lies in thè front in Finland when it comes to developing wind power. Since this is a climate friendly energy alternative, our province is planning for thè major part of its future electrical supply to come from wind power.
Our miniature sheet 'Electricity 100 years' is part of thè joint series of issues 'Preserve thè Polar Regions and Glaciers', in which more than 40 posts from around thè world take part.
The Àland miniature sheet features a wind turbine with a flash of lightning in thè background. The symboi of this joint issue, an ice crystal, can be seen in thè upper left corner. The wind turbine is embossed and thè rest ofthe sheet is supplied with Metal FX effect.
Date of issue
Photographer
Edition
Denomination
Price FDC
Size of miniature sheet
Perforation
Paper
Printing method
Printing house
22 January 2009
Daniel Eriksson
120 000 miniature sheets
€2.00
€2.55
120 x 80 mm
13 per 2 cm
105g/m2
4-colour offset + Metal FX + embossing
Philately has been considered as an "auxiliary science of history" because it is based on the general principles of other sciences, which in turn contribute to enrich it. It acquires knowledge of the sciences, of the arts, of languages and opens an immense road of social relations through all countries. This science broadens broad horizons of culture, discovers artistic temperaments and offers the interest of the new and the unknown, while performing a positive therapeutic wor.
