Cavern Thermal Energy Storage enables phasing out of fossil fuels – results of environmental impact assessment published

Vantaa Energy’s seasonal heat storage facility plays a key role as the company phases out the use of fossil fuels by 2026 and progresses towards carbon negativity by 2030. The report on the environmental impact assessment of the seasonal heat storage project is now ready, and the results in the report will be presented in an open event for the public on 3 February 2022.

Seasonal heat storage is an cavernal thermal energy storage facility of about one million cubic metres, storing renewable energy obtained from, e.g. solar, wind and waste heat sources in water kept at a temperature of 140–150 degrees. It has a capacity of 90 gigawatt-hours, corresponding to the annual heat demand of an average-sized town in Finland. The stored energy replaces natural gas use in the winter season and enables fossil-free energy production in 2026. As a result, the company’s carbon dioxide emissions will fall by 65,000 tonnes a year. Therefore, the seasonal heat storage facility plays a significant role in Vantaa Energy’s goal of phasing out fossils fuels by 2026.

The seasonal heat storage facility will also promote several of the EU’s other climate and energy targets: it will boost resource efficiency based on strong utilisation of waste heat, increase the share of renewable energy forms in energy production, and accelerate the integration of different energy systems.

– The seasonal heat storage facility is a unique project even on a global scale, and it is also an excellent example of how an energy company is able to promote rapid phasing-out of fossil fuels with new innovations in a cost-effective way. We hope that all those interested in our seasonal heat storage project will be able to join us in the online event we will be hosting at the beginning of February and to hear more about the project, says Vantaa Energy’s CEO Jukka Toivonen.

The seasonal heat storage facility is planned to be built in the Kuusikonmäki district of Vantaa, under the Ring Road III. The commissioning of the plant is scheduled for 2026. An alliance formed by Vantaa Energy, YIT and AFRY is responsible for the design, construction and implementation of the seasonal heat storage facility.

Public event for the EIA report phase on 3 February 2022

The results of the environmental impact assessment report will be presented on Thursday, 3 February 2022 at 5.30pm – 8pm. There is no need to register for the open online event, and everyone is welcome to hear about the results of the environmental impact assessment report for the Seasonal Heat Storage project and to ask questions about it. To attend the event, please follow this link:
https://vantaanenergia.videosync.fi/lammon-kausivarastohanke

Opening of the maintenance tunnel to be located in slip road area of Ring Road III

A new location has been chosen for the opening of the maintenance tunnel of the seasonal heat storage facility instead of Untipakka, which was presented in the original plans. The slip road area of Ring Road III next to Vanha Porvoontie has been decided as the location for the opening of the maintenance tunnel. Therefore, Vantaa Energy has no plans to have an impact on the current purpose of use and natural state of Untipakka.

As the maintenance tunnel is located in the immediate vicinity of Ring Road III, heavy traffic during the construction phase can be steered directly to Ring Road III, thus avoiding the smaller local roads and streets.