Metso will supply a pellet-fired heating plant to Tampereen Energiantuotanto Oy in the city of Tampere in Finland. The plant will be delivered by the Metso-Wärtsilä joint venture MW Power. The delivery will comprise a full-scope turn-key boiler plant solution, including all the necessary equipment and commissioning. The plant will be Finland's largest pellet-fired plant, based on a technological solution that is the first of its kind in Finland. The value of the order will not be disclosed.
The heating plant will be used as a peak load and backup plant and will replace some of the capacity of the existing oil- and gas-fuelled boiler plants. The plant will be fired with wood pellets and its heat input will be around 33 MW. Replacing the old boilers with a new modern pellet-fired boiler will significantly reduce the CO2 emissions resulting from the production of district heating.
"Our cooperation with MW Power has been smooth. When things started to fall in place concerning the plant's technology, it was clear that MW Power is the right partner for us for this challenging project. It was also important to us that the supplier would commit to the project with the necessary resources. This project will bring new expertise to Finland, and Tampereen Energiantuotanto Oy wishes to be at the forefront in sustainable energy generation. District heating has always been an efficient and environmentally friendly alternative and it will remain so in the future as well," says Development Manager Timo Heinonen from Tampereen Energiantuotanto Oy.
"It is inspiring to introduce new technology into the market for the first time, and commercial success is naturally our ultimate goal. Previously, peak load plants have been using fossil fuels because there was no other technology available. The technological solution supplied to Tampereen Energiantuotanto Oy will bring new opportunities to gear the structure of Finnish district heat production towards the goals of sustainable development," confirms Sales Manager Teemu Koskela from MW Power.
The production of heat at the new plant will start in late 2012. The order is included in Pulp, Paper and Power's first quarter 2012 orders received.
Technical information
Tampereen Energiantuotanto Oy's pellet heating plant utilizes a solution that combines pulverized combustion technology with MW Power's boiler expertise. The pellet fuel is pulverized in separate grinding mills and burned in a pulverized combustion boiler. The start-up and load control of the combustion process is remarkably rapid and the pulverized fuel allows for clean, energy efficient and flexible heat generation. Pulverized pellet combustion is new to Finland, but MW Power has been using it in Sweden on a smaller scale.
Tampereen Energiantuotanto Oy, a subsidiary of Tampere Power Utility, is responsible for the group's electricity and district heating production, maintenance and development. Increasing the proportion of renewable energy sources is part of the Tampere Power Utility's strategy.
MW Power, a Metso-Wärtsilä joint venture, provides medium and small-scale power and heating plant solutions for sustainable energy generation, focusing on flexible utilization of local renewables, as well as innovative technologies and service capabilities. www.mwpower.fi
Metso is a global supplier of sustainable technology and services for mining, construction, power generation, automation, recycling and the pulp and paper industries. We have about 29,000 employees in more than 50 countries. www.metso.com
