The bioenergy programme

Together with its shareholders, Pohjolan Voima has constructed 14 new bioenergy plants during the last 20 years. Besides the investments in bioenergy plants, the bioenergy programme includes an extensive research and development programme aimed at increasing the consumption of wood fuels and energy crops. The latest bioenergy plants have been commissioned in Pori, Kerava and Lappeenranta.

Porin Prosessivoima’s bioenergy plant inaugurated

Pohjolan Voima’s new bioenergy plant in Pori, owned by Porin Prosessivoima, was inaugurated in March 2009. The plant is located at the Sachtleben Pigments Oy industrial site, and it produces electricity and heat for the needs of the area’s industry and the City of Pori.

The plant is fired by wood fuels, peat, coal and refuse-derived fuels. The plant will increase the consumption of Finnish energy sources and decrease the consumption of fossil fuels in the production of electricity and heat.

The plant’s electricity generation capacity is 78 MW. It also has capacity to produce steam at 140 MW and district heat at 70 MW.

New process steam boiler completed in Kokkola

A new process steam boiler with a capacity of 15 MW and a steam transfer pipeline were completed at Pohjolan Voima’s Kokkola power plant in February 2009. The boiler, fired with peat and wood fuels, produces steam for the local process industry facilities. The cost of the project was €7 million.

Bioenergy plant in Kerava completed

The Kerava bioenergy plant, a joint venture between Pohjolan Voima and Keravan Energia, was completed and entered commercial use in November 2009. The construction of the plant began in January 2008. The plant reached rooftop height in March 2009 and was synchronised to the national grid for the first time in October.

The Kerava bioenergy plant, fuelled by branches, toppings, stumps, wood from thinning and peat, will introduce Pohjolan Voima's bioenergy programme to the Helsinki region for the first time. The plant’s capacity is 21 MW for electricity, 48 MW for district heat and 10 MW for process heat.

Pohjolan Voima’s Kerava power plant produces electricity and district heat for the City of Kerava and process heat for local industry. The total costs of the power plant investment amounted to approximately €70 million.

New bioenergy plant commissioned in Lappeenranta

Kaukaan Voima’s bioenergy plant, a joint venture between Pohjolan Voima, Lappeenrannan Energia and UPM, was commissioned in Lappeenranta at the end of October 2009. Test use of the bioenergy plant began at the turn of September–October 2009, and heat deliveries started in early October. The power plant was synchronised to the national grid for the first time in October. The entire plant construction project will be completed early in 2010.

Kaukaan Voima’s power plant will produce process steam and electricity for UPM's Kaukaa mill and electricity and district heating for Lappeenrannan Energia. The plant’s capacity is 125 MW for electricity, 110 MW for district heat and 150 MW for process steam. The plant is fired by bark, branches, toppings, stumps, wood from thinning and peat. Around 80% of the plant’s fuel demand will be covered with wood fuels.

The total costs of the power plant investment amounted to approximately €240 million.

Increased use of Finnish fuels planned in Kristiinankaupunki

A gradual increase in the use of Finnish fuels in energy production is planned at Kristiina power plant in Kristiinankaupunki. This can be done by changing the fuel range of the coal boiler and by, at a later stage, replacing the old oil boiler with a new multi-fuel boiler.

According to plans, a gasification plant with fuel power of approximately 100 MW will be constructed in connection with the plant’s coal boiler. Biofuel and peat are converted into gas in the gasification plant and the gas is burned with coal in the coal boiler. The aim is to reduce the volume of burned coal and consequently the carbon dioxide emissions from the plant.

An environmental impact assessment report on replacing the oil boiler Kristiina 1 with a multi-fuel boiler was completed in September 2009. An application for an environmental permit for a gradual increase in the use of Finnish fuels was submitted in November 2009.

Environmental permit application for using Finnish fuels in Vaasa

According to plans, a gasification plant with fuel power of approximately 100 MW would be constructed in connection with the coal boiler in Vaskiluoto power plant. The gasification plant would be fired by biofuels and peat. The use of Finnish and renewable fuels would reduce the volume of burned coal, significantly reducing the plant’s emissions. An environmental permit for the project was applied for in September 2009.

New multi-fuel boiler under consideration in Kotka

An environmental impact assessment report on constructing a multi-fuel boiler in Mussalo in Kotka was completed by Pohjolan Voima. The aim is to replace, to an extent, the fossil fuels with Finnish fuels, mainly biofuels and peat. The fuel base would be changed by replacing the current boiler in Mussalo 2 power plant with a new multi-fuel boiler.

The environmental impact assessment report for the new boiler was submitted to the environmental authority in November 2009.

Environmental impact assessment for Oulu bioenergy plant proceeded

An environmental impact assessment report on constructing a new bioenergy plant at Kemira’s industrial site in Laanila, Oulu, was completed in November 2009. However, the bioenergy plant project will be postponed because of Oulun Energia’s decision to construct a waste combustion plant at the site. Once completed, the waste combustion plant will be connected to the steam network of Pohjolan Voima’s Laanila plant. The Laanila power plant produces electricity, process steam and district heat for the needs of Kemira’s Oulu plants and the City of Oulu.