Extension to Vantaa Energy’s waste-to-energy plant enables phasing out of coal already this spring – yellow grab cranes of the power plant have already arrived on site

The extension project of Vantaa Energy’s waste-to-energy plant is progressing according to the original schedule. The construction work is now moving towards the completion phase. The goal of Vantaa Energy is to phase out the use of fossil fuels in energy production by 2026 and then to progress towards carbon negativity by 2030. Thanks to the increased capacity for energy recovery of waste as a result of the commissioning of the extension to the waste-to-energy plant, Vantaa Energy will be able to phase out the use of coal in energy production already this spring.

The extension project of Vantaa Energy’s waste-to-energy plant is progressing according to the original schedule. The latest arrivals on the worksite are the grab cranes, i.e. gigantic metal grapples that mix the waste in the waste bunker. As an interesting detail, the grabs used in the current waste-to-energy plant are red, while those used in the extension are yellow. As a whole, the construction work is now entering the completion phase: all structures are generally ready, and the installation of the main equipment has also been done. Vantaa Energy is currently focusing on the electrical and automation installation of the equipment. The test run of the extension to the waste-to-energy plant will start in May. The first fire of the waste-to-energy boiler of the new extension will be ignited in summer 2022. Commercial operation is scheduled to start in autumn 2022.

The company saw a need for higher energy production capacity at the waste-to-energy plant because especially non-recyclable retail and industrial waste produced in the Helsinki region has been exported despite the fact that it could be used as raw material in climate-friendly energy production at home. The extension to the waste-to-energy plant will reduce the need to use fossil fuels because a more efficient capacity to utilise non-recyclable waste as energy makes it possible for Vantaa Energy to phase out the use of coal in its energy production already this spring.

From the environmental point of view, the extension to the waste-to-energy plant is a significant investment as a producer of climate-friendly energy and as an efficient enabler of circular economy solutions. The operation of the waste-to-energy plant represents circular economy at its best: non-recyclable retail and industrial waste is turned into heat and power at the plant. In the everyday lives of Vantaa residents, efficient energy recovery of non-recyclable waste becomes a reality in the form of warm homes and hot showers. Vantaa Energy has turned non-recyclable waste from households in Uusimaa into heat and power already since 2014. The extension to the waste-to-energy plant will increase capacity also in the energy recovery of retail and industrial waste.

– We help our customers to make substantial climate deeds in their everyday lives by offering climate-friendly heat produced with circular economy solutions, for the production of which the extension to the waste-to-energy plant will bring welcome additional capacity. The extension to the waste-to-energy plant will make it possible to phase out coal use and to move towards ending the use of fossil fuels in 2026, and further progress towards carbon negativity in 2030, says Kalle Patomeri, Business Director of City Energy at Vantaa Energy Ltd.

Further information:
Kalle Patomeri, Business Director, City Energy, Vantaa Energy Ltd
kalle.patomeri@vantaanenergia.fi
p. 050 529 4158