pwr_october-2024 - 8

Diversification Key to Finland's
Goals Around Energy and
Environment
Finland has a diversified energy mix,
comprised mostly of renewable energy
resources and nuclear power. Recent
power generation project announcements
highlight this diversification, which
has led to industry analysts saying Finland
will likely be the European Union's (EU's)
first carbon-negative economy.
New projects include an air-to-water
heat pump at a complex in Helsinki, a
hybrid wind-solar installation in the North
Ostrobothnia region, and a Googlebacked
data center energy initiative in
Hamina. Several solar power projects
also are in the works. Nuclear power also
remains important to Finland; the country
has five operating reactors supplying
about one-third of the nation's electricity,
according to government data.
" Last year, 94% of the electricity produced
in Finland was emission-free, with
54% coming from renewable sources.
As the country is nearing the achievement
of its EU-mandated renewable
energy targets for 2030, industry and
policymakers are shifting their focus to
reaping the full benefits of sector integration, "
said Anssi Klemetti, a partner
at Finnish consultancy Blic, who works
on low-carbon fuels. " In other words,
the big question becomes how the high
share of low-emission electricity can be
leveraged to decarbonize other sectors
such as transport or manufacturing. "
Francois Le Scornet, president and senior
market intelligence consultant with
France-based Carbonexit Consulting,
told POWER, " As you know, in 2024, Finland's
energy mix is increasingly reliant
on both renewables and nuclear power.
With the OL3 [Olkiluoto 3] reactor now
fully operational, nuclear power provides
around [a third] of Finland's electricity,
and this reactor alone accounts for approximately
15% of the total electricity
generation. This boost in nuclear energy
is critical for Finland's goal of becoming
carbon neutral by 2035. "
Le Scornet added, " However, there is
an ongoing debate about how much further
nuclear energy should be expanded,
as some advocate for prioritizing wind
and bioenergy to meet future energy
needs more sustainably for instance. I
believe this tension will play a key role in
shaping Finland's energy strategy in the
8
1. The Patola district heating plant in Helsinki, Finland, will be home to the world's largest airto-water
heat pump. Courtesy: Helen Oy
coming years. Also interesting is the integration
of waste-to-heat systems and
hybrid wind-solar farms. "
The waste-to-heat systems and hybrid
renewable energy installations are
among the innovative projects planned
or already underway in Finland, as the
country continues its pivot away from
fossil fuels in its effort to hit environmental
targets. Klemetti told POWER,
" One obvious answer lies in harnessing
the rising share of wind power, especially
on the country's western coast, to
produce green hydrogen with electrolysers.
This can then be combined with biogenic
carbon dioxide to produce various
synthetic fuels for aviation and maritime
sectors. Thanks to Finland's turn away
from coal and peat as a heating fuel, the
country now has access to vast quantities
of biogenic carbon dioxide from the
use of sustainable biomass in heating
[in 2021, the energy sector's biogenic
CO2 emissions were more than 14.6 million
tons]. These factors, combined with
a stable electrical grid and good access
to export markets from western ports
could make Finland a major player in the
hydrogen revolution. "
Helen Oy, a Finnish energy company,
recently chose MAN Energy Solutions
to supply an air-to-water heat pump as
part of Helen Oy's Patola heating plant
complex in Helsinki (Figure 1). The new
complex will include the industrial-scale
heat pump and two 50-MW electric boilers.
The air-to-water heat pump plant will
be the largest in the world, according to
MAN, with a full heating production capacity
ranging from 20 MW to 33 MW,
depending on the air temperature. The
unit can operate at outdoor temperawww.powermag.com
tures
as low as -20C (-4F), using carbon
dioxide as the natural refrigerant in a
closed-loop system. The heat pump will
be powered with electricity produced by
renewable energy resources, and will
utilize ambient air as a thermal energy
source to increase the water temperature
and meet the requirements of the
district heating network. Officials said
the technology will supply about 200
GWh of heat to about 30,000 households
in Helsinki, reducing CO2 emissions
by about 26,000 tons.
" We are very proud to support Helen
in their efforts to achieve carbon neutrality
in Helsinki. Our heat pump technology
provides an economically competitive
and efficient way to harness climate-neutral
heat from ambient air, even at cold
temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius, "
said Uwe Lauber, CEO of MAN Energy
Solutions. " Urban district heating projects
that utilize climate-neutral technologies
are essential for advancing global
efforts to reduce carbon emissions. We
are excited to see our heat pump solution
play a key role in driving the energy
transition forward. "
Juhani Aaltonen, vice president of
Green Investments at Helen, said,
" Helsinki has set the ambitious goal to
become carbon neutral by 2030, and
transitioning our heating system is crucial
to achieving this. Once completed,
the heat pump plant will significantly reduce
the CO2 emissions caused by heating,
bringing us closer to our net-zero
target. In addition, the new plant is likely
to create price stability for customers,
as its production is easily adjustable. "
The Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs
and Employment has granted Helen an
POWER | October 2024

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