Vantaa Energy to phase out fossil fuels already by 2026

Vantaa Energy is taking another leap in its climate targets by phasing out fossil fuels by 2026. The rapid schedule is enabled by the utilisation of excess energy produced in waste processing, seasonal storage of heat, and the use of geothermal ground-source heat and solar energy. Last autumn, Vantaa Energy took the decision to end coal use in 2022. Now the company is taking the next leap forward: as a result of the Fossil-Free 2026 project, Vantaa Energy will end the use of fossil fuels completely in the Vantaa region by 2026. The pace of the change is significant, because, for example, Finland is committed to phasing out the use of coal alone by 2029.

“ We are a growing circular economy energy company, which is expected to come up with rapid and open-minded eco-efficient solutions. We now have a plan for phasing out fossil fuels. Moving to fossil-free production takes place with renewable energy sources, energy recovered from waste, and energy storage solutions,” says Jukka Toivonen, CEO of Vantaa Energy.

The company is reducing the use of fossil fuels one project at a time. The use of peat in energy production will be phased out by 2021. In addition to mixed waste from households, the extension of the waste-to-energy plant will enable utilisation of waste-to-energy from commerce and industry on an increasingly higher scale already in 2022. Waste processing services will be expanded to waste that requires higher processing temperatures than normal energy recovery in 2024. In addition, we will open a seasonal energy storage facility in 2026, and finally the remaining natural gas will be replaced by biogas.

“ The seasonal thermal energy storage facility to be built underground is the most important part of the Fossil-Free 2026 project entity. The seasonal storage facility will enable storage of excess heat produced in energy recovery of waste in the summer, as well as solar energy during a period of low heating demand. The stored heat is utilised during sub-zero temperatures when the demand for heat is at its highest,” Toivonen describes.

The Fossil-Free 2026 project continues Vantaa Energy’s long-term climate work and is visible to the customers in the form of greater choice.

“ This is a great step towards our target of carbon-neutral production. With our Fossil-Free 2026 project, we will rapidly move towards cleaner production in order to mitigate climate change. At the same time, we will also enable eco-efficient heating options for our customers. Correspondingly, as it is already possible to choose the origin of electricity, our customers will soon have an opportunity to opt for ground-source heat, solar heat or, say, wind energy delivered via the heating network,” Toivonen explains.

Further information

Jukka Toivonen
CEO
tel. +358 50 453 6729
jukka.toivonen@vantaanenergia.fi