FBR Summer 2023 - Flipbook - Page 5
Industry News
Helsinki shuts down
coal-fired power plant
T
he City of Helsinki-owned
energy company Helen
ceased operations at its
Hanasaari power plant in
Helsinki, Finland, on 1 April, 2023. The
city has pledged to become carbon
neutral by the year 2030 and shutting
down the coal-fired power plant in
Hanasaari will result in a significant
emissions reduction. According to
estimates, Helsinki’s total emissions
will decrease by up to 20% and
Helen’s emissions will fall by 40%. The
closure is expected to reduce national
emissions by approximately 2%.
“The closing of the Hanasaari plant
is an important and historic change
for Helsinki and, ultimately, the whole
planet. Cities the world over have
assumed a leading role in the fight
against climate change, promoting
state action with their efforts. Helsinki
wants to be a bold forerunner, on both
a national and global level. The fact
that we have been able to resolutely
move forward with our plans to shut
down a major coal-fired power plant
in our city, in the midst of a disruptive
world situation, is a strong indicator
of our determinedness in this area,”
stated Juhana Vartiainen, Mayor of
Helsinki.
Once the coal-fired power plant is
permanently closed, a large part of the
energy used to heat Helsinki homes
will be generated by Helen’s new
bioenergy heating plant, located in
the city’s district of Vuosaari. In future,
heating production will include more
waste heat recycling, with the use of
heat pumps, in addition to electricitygenerating water, wind and solar
power solutions.
“I’m proud of Helsinki’s ambitious
climate objective to attain climate
neutrality by 2030 and the wideranging work that we are doing
to reach this landmark goal. The
shutdown of this coal-fired power
plant is the single largest step we
have taken in our comprehensive
work towards this end,” said Anni
Sinnemäki, Helsinki’s Deputy Mayor for
Urban Environment.
The City of Helsinki has conducted
a preliminary assessment exploring
the possibility of using the culturally
and historically significant power plant
building for a new function. Architect
Timo Penttilä began his design of
the premises back in 1962 and the
structure has been in use since 1974.
More analysis is necessary, however,
before any decisions about using the
building and its surrounding area
can be made. Some of the required
Hanasaari power plant in Helsinki,
Finland (picture courtesy of Helen
Ltd).
technical and financial studies cannot
be performed until the plant’s energy
production has come to a halt.
“Shutting down the Hanasaari
power plant considerably lowers
emissions and is also an excellent
demonstration of the kinds of
impactful action that we must
continue to take moving forward.
Additional measures must now build
on this good development if we aim
to achieve the emissions reduction
targets set out in the Helsinki City
Strategy,” concluded Kaisa-Reeta
Koskinen, Project Manager of the City
of Helsinki’s Emissions Reduction
Programme.
More information:
www.hel.fi
Summer 2023 Forest Bioenergy Review
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