Vaasan Voima has completed a significant energy system project at the Vaskiluoto power plant area, integrating thermal energy storage, electric boilers and highly efficient combined heat and power generation within a single site. The solution is exceptional by Finnish standards and is also a rare example on a European scale of a sector coupling system in which electricity, heat and energy storage operate seamlessly together.
The development of the Vaskiluoto energy system has aimed to increase the flexibility of the energy system, reduce the need for combustion-based energy production, and enable more efficient utilization of renewable electricity in district heating generation. At the same time, the project has created capacity that supports the reliability and security of Finland’s energy supply in a changing energy market.
As a result of the expansion, the thermal energy storage capacity has increased to approximately 17 gigawatt-hours (GWh), while its charging and discharging capacity has doubled. The integrated system now includes 220 megawatts (MW) of electric boiler capacity and the Vaskiluoto CHP power plant, all utilizing shared energy transmission infrastructure. For comparison, the combined storage capacity of all battery energy storage systems connected to Finland’s electricity grid is estimated to be approximately 3 GWh.
“In Vaskiluoto, technological advancement, cost-efficiency and rapid implementation go hand in hand. This is made possible by the area’s exceptionally strong and well-established energy infrastructure. The electric boilers, thermal energy storage facilities, CHP generation and existing electricity and district heating transmission infrastructure together form an energy system unlike any other we know of in Europe. We have introduced a new level of flexibility to the energy mix that helps reduce emissions and enables renewable electricity to be utilized more efficiently,” says Janne Österback, Managing Director of Vaasan Voima.
Energy infrastructure for future needs
As the energy transition progresses, the electricity system is seeing increasing amounts of weather-dependent generation, making energy storage and flexibility more important than ever. The Vaskiluoto solution enables electricity to be converted into heat when renewable electricity is abundant, stored for extended periods and utilized when demand is highest.
The new system further strengthens EPV Energy Group’s position as a leading developer of energy storage solutions and sector coupling technologies.
“EPV’s strategy is to build new flexibility and storage solutions into the energy system. The Vaskiluoto investments are an excellent example of this approach. They support low-emission energy production, strengthen security of supply and lay the foundation for a future energy system in which electricity, heat and various forms of energy storage are increasingly integrated,” Österback states.
Intelligent flexibility for the energy system
The Vaskiluoto investments demonstrate that the energy system of the future will not rely on a single technology but on the intelligent integration of multiple solutions.
“The thermal energy storage facility and electric boilers enable efficient use of renewable electricity in district heating production, while CHP generation ensures energy availability during prolonged cold spells and exceptional situations in the power system. The result is an energy system that combines low emissions, cost-efficiency, reliability and security of supply in an exceptionally strong way,” says Mats Söderlund, Group Vice President of Combined Heat and Power Production and Energy Storage at EPV Energy.
Facts about the Vaskiluoto energy system
- Thermal energy storage capacity: approximately 17 GWh
- Thermal storage charging and discharging capacity: approximately 220 MW
- Total electric boiler capacity in Vaskiluoto: 220 MW
- Vaasa CHP power plant generation capacity: 230 MW of electricity and 175 MW of heat
- The integrated system utilizes existing electricity and district heating infrastructure together with large-scale energy storage within a single energy system.
More information:
Janne Österback
Managing Director, Vaasan Voima
tel. +358 50 416 5110
Mats Söderlund
Group Vice President of Combined Heat and Power Production and Energy Storage, EPV Energy Ltd
tel. +358 50 428 3757