Looking for an alliance partner to Vantaa Energy’s STES project – to change the energy sector and thereby the world

The largest seasonal thermal energy storage (STES) in the world

Vantaa Energy is planning to quarry a 50–60-metre deep network of rock caves for a seasonal storage facility for heat. The facility will store natural water, and energy can be stored in its temperature change with district heating circulation.

The facility to be built underground is the most important part of the Fossil-Free 2026 project. It will enable storage of the waste heat and excess heat produced from energy recovery during summer, as well as storage of solar energy during low heating demand. The stored heat will be utilized during sub-zero temperatures when the demand for heat is at its highest. The Kuusikonmäki district of Vantaa is the planned location of the STES facility. Its excavation volume will be about 1,000,000 m3 in total.

Vantaa Energy has decided to use an alliance model in the project, and the services for establishing the alliance are provided by Boost Brothers. The developer’s project management is provided by Rakennuttajatoimisto HTJ Ltd.

Selection process for an alliance partner has begun

Vantaa Energy started its search for an alliance partner at the beginning of February by publishing a procurement notice for the project. Vantaa Energy wants to find a partner with the best ideas and resources to carry out the project. The objectives for the seasonal storage facility have been specified, and potential suppliers may now propose solutions for achieving these objectives.

– We are not buying a network of caves but looking for an innovative solution to store thermal energy. It is extremely important for us to achieve the functional objectives set for this project instead of us specifying a technical solution in detail. We want to contribute to implementing the best, most innovative solutions, says Matias Siponen in charge of the project at Vantaa Energy.

A unique opportunity to create new solutions

The alliance partner for the STES project is selected using a new procedure.

– The objectives and preconditions of the project are recognized early on during the process. They have been clarified in dialogue with the market, and we are committed to them at this point, says Matti Sivunen in charge of the alliance establishing services at Boost Brothers.

The chosen procurement model is an ideal setting for the bidders to utilize their expertise and creativity to meet the client’s objectives and to plan how to best carry out the project.

– Since we have the target clearly in sight, the contractors and designers have the opportunity to provide their very best. I really hope potential suppliers decide to take this opportunity to come up with solutions that meet the client’s objectives, because in order to succeed and realize the concept, this project will require some excellent ideas, Sivunen says.

– Once completed successfully, this project may change the entire energy sector for the better by significantly reducing emissions and by developing exceptional knowhow for Finnish companies in terms of international markets, concludes Sivunen.

Alliance model on a new level
Vantaa Energy is providing operators an exceptional opportunity to develop construction and design practices.

– We have analyzed the project and the services available on the market, and we are convinced that carrying out and securely managing this project will require a different way of thinking compared to normal practices. People must have the freedom to innovate and challenge themselves for the best results. Moreover, we must be able to establish systematic structures and a strong alliance culture for the project to support an innovative mindset, Siponen says.

The bidding materials help potential bidders develop their solutions with new ideas and preliminary proposals to ensure that the project is carried out innovatively.

– The procurement materials include, for example, a draft of synchronous production during the development stage, and project management will utilize the milestone model. We hope that bidders are able to further develop these procedures in their offers, and we are taking the entire project model of the alliance forward, Sivunen says.

Those interested to bid for the alliance partnership must submit their applications at the beginning of March. The objective is to select an alliance partner in June 2021.

For more information, please contact:
Matias Siponen
Vantaa Energy
+358 50 494 6115
matias.siponen@vantaanenergia.fi

Matti Sivunen
Boost Brothers
+358 50 7515 710
matti.sivunen@boostbrothers.fi