First bioenergy heating plant in Helsinki inaugurated

The Mayor of Helsinki Jan Vapaavuori inaugurated Helen's new bioenergy heating plant in Salmisaari together with Helen´s CEO Pekka Manninen.

- Helsinki is strongly committed to mitigating climate change. Carbon neutrality requires us to be a bold trailblazer and for all sectors to reduce their emissions. The Salmisaari pellet-fired heating plant inaugurated today is a perfect example of using renewable energy in the city's heat production, said the Mayor of Helsinki Jan Vapaavuori in his inauguration speech.

- The Salmisaari pellet-fired heating plant is a significant project to increase renewable energy in Helen’s energy production. Coal is being replaced by biofuels, but a climate-neutral future also needs other solutions, said Helen’s CEO Pekka Manninen. 

The new heating plant represents solid Finnish competence: the degree of domestic origin in the heating plant project is over 80%.

Renewable district heat with pellets

The main fuel of the Salmisaari pellet-fired heating plant is wood pellets, which are pulverised before feeding into the boiler. At full fuel capacity, the pellet consumption of the heating plant is about 21 tonnes per hour, i.e. one lorryload of pellets in two hours.

Biofuel from sustainable sources in Finland and overseas is used in the production of the heating plant. Helen’s heating plant will boost Finnish employment also in the future in the manufacture and logistics of pellets.

The plant can generate renewable district heat for the needs of 25,000 one-bedroom apartments.

New bioenergy heating plants are already planned

Helen is planning to build other new bioenergy heating plants in Helsinki. The planned areas are in Vuosaari, Patola and Tattarisuo. The bioenergy heating plants will be implemented in stages to replace the heat production of the Hanasaari power plant, which will be decommissioned in 2024 according to plan. By that time, one to two new heating plants will have to be completed.

Bioenergy heating plants replace the use of coal and meet the demand for district heat together with heat pumps and energy storage.

Pictures of pellet-fired heating plant

Picture of inauguration

Facts:

• The district heat output of the Salmisaari pellet-fired heating plant is 92 MW.
• It can produce heat for 25,000 one-bedroom apartments, or a town the size of Savonlinna.
• At full capacity, the plant uses 21 tonnes of pellets per hour. This corresponds to one lorryload of pellets every two hours.
• The pellet-fired heating plant is one part of Helen’s extensive investment programme to replace fossil fuels.
• The next bioenergy heating plants are planned for Vuosaari, Tattarisuo and Patola. The planning and possible construction of the new plants are progressing in stages.
• New renewable district heat production will be obtained later this spring from the heat pumps currently built under Esplanade Park.
• Climate-neutral energy production also needs more energy storage facilities. Helen is planning new world-class heat storage facilities in Kruunuvuorenranta and Mustikkamaa.