Finland’s first geothermal heating plant producing district heat starts operating in Vantaa

Vantaa Energy’s geothermal heating plant in the Varisto district of Vantaa is completed. Upon its start-up, the plant is Finland’s first geothermal heating plant producing clean, fully renewable geothermal heat that is transferred to the district heating network and then sold to customers interested in geothermal heat. As a pilot plant, it is exploring the possibilities of geothermal heat in district heating production. Quantitative Heat was responsible for construction of the plant.

The geothermal heating plant constructed in Vantaa at the Varisto heating plant site enables Vantaa Energy to produce district heating in a completely new way based on geothermal heat. Vantaa’s district heating customers will be able to heat their homes with geothermal heat through the district heating network. The Varisto geothermal heating plant also improves Vantaa’s energy self-sufficiency, as it increases the share of renewable heat in heat production. Vantaa Energy’s geothermal heating plant produces around 1,400 MWh of heat. In terms of volume this corresponds to about 35 traditional geothermal wells.

The original construction plan called for QHeat to drill one geothermal well to a depth of two kilometers to tap into the geothermal energy. Due to bedrock and other challenges, the original plan was replaced with three 800-meter-deep wells.

The suitability of a geothermal heating plant for district heat energy storage to balance seasonal energy fluctuations is also being explored at the Varisto plant.

 – The geothermal heating plant offers our customers the benefits of geothermal heat, a worry-free service at a stable price without their own investment. Geothermal heating is an excellent addition to our offering of other Renewable Heat products; it’s also an innovative way to produce renewable heating as one solution towards our goal of being a carbon-negative energy company by 2030. The Varisto pilot project taught us valuable lessons about the drilling of deep geothermal wells. There are still challenges in terms of the technology and profitability, but the progress made during this project was tremendous; it took only six weeks to drill the last geothermal well, says Vantaa Energy’s Matti Wallin, Business Director, Energy Service Business.

– Vantaa Energy is a bold change-maker in the energy sector and is actively pursuing new solutions to achieve its climate targets. It’s wonderful to carry out a project that can replace fossil fuels in district heating production and, consequently, move the city towards a more carbon-neutral heating system with reduced emissions. QHeat’s mission is to help accelerate society’s transition to clean energy, says QHeat’s CEO Erika Salmenvaara.

With a goal to be carbon negative by 2030, Vantaa Energy is a frontrunner in producing affordable, low-carbon heating by utilizing energy production solutions enabled by a circular economy and new technology. Vantaa Energy offers its customers the most affordable district heating in the Helsinki metropolitan area.

Further information

Matti Wallin, Business Director, Energy Service Business, Vantaa Energy
+ 358 44 723 5782
matti.wallin@vantaanenergia.fi

Erika Salmenvaara, CEO, Quantitative Heat Oy
+ 358 40 083 1551
erika.salmenvaara@qheat.fi