Accelerating circularity in our actions

Circular economy is one of the main building blocks of the European Green Deal, which we aim at supporting through improving energy and resource efficiency and investments in circular economy solutions. As a circular economy energy company, we plan to invest in further utilisation of waste heat, excess wind power and solar heat. Additionally, an important part of our production is the optimal utilization of waste to energy. With the expansion of our waste-to-energy facility, in 2022 industrial and commercial waste will also be processed from rubbish into raw materials and further into energy.

Additionally, waste treatment services in Vantaa will be expanded to waste, such as paint, varnish, oily materials and impregnated timber, which require a higher treatment temperature than normal energy recovery treatment and a separate treatment line. These waste types will be treated in two separate plants, about 60,000 tons in total per year. The heat from these facilities will be utilized for energy production and to replace fossil fuels in the production. Currently 120 000 tons of hazardous waste are exported due to lacking treatment capacity. The new plants reduce the need for energy imports and for storing this waste in landfill sites. The energy generated by the treatment is utilised in heating properties in Vantaa and charging the seasonal heat storage facility, replacing the use of natural gas in energy production and further reducing our CO2 emissions. Planned completion of the plants in 2024.

Many of our projects are founded on the principles of circular economy. In 2019, we converted an old natural gas and oil-fired power plant section into a biopower plant. We are also planning the world’s largest underground seasonal heat storage facility. It would allow, for example, large-scale storage of waste heat and surplus wind power, as well as more efficient use of geothermal energy. Furthermore, we are planning to invest in the effective recovery of solar heat. The need for cooling in Finland is growing. Cooling generates waste heat, which can be stored in the seasonal storage to be utilized on the cold winter days.