Valmet and Nokianvirran Energia Oy have signed a letter of intent for a delivery of a biomass-fired boiler plant to a new steam heating station in Nokia, Finland. The new heating station will supply process steam to SCA Hygiene Products’ paper mill, Nokian Tyres’ factory, and district heat to Leppäkosken Sähkö’s customers.
The investment enables the currently used natural gas to be replaced with more cost efficient biofuels, such as forest residue and wood chips. In addition, it is possible to utilize peat and sludge from the paper mill.
The installation work is scheduled to start in May 2015. The start-up of steam production is scheduled for the spring of 2016. The total value of the investment by Nokianvirran Energia is approximately 45 million euros, out of which the share of Valmet’s delivery is slightly more than a half.
The new boiler plant will use local fuels
«With this investment we will be able to reduce the CO2 emissions and to secure competitive energy production for the owners of the company. We trust Valmet’s long experience in combustion of demanding biomasses and their ability as a local company to deliver the plant within the very tight schedule,» says Leppäkosken Sähkö Oy’s Managing Director Juha Koskinen. «This investment will create wellbeing within the entire Pirkanmaa area. Employment created during the building work is estimated at 200-300 man-years. After the plant start-up fuels for the power plant will be acquired in the Pirkanmaa area,» Koskinen continues.
«Replacing fossil fuels, such as natural gas and coal with domestic biofuels is an essential factor in several ongoing energy production projects in Finland. Fuel flexibility is an essential factor in this type of investment decisions. This concerns also the boiler plant that will be delivered to Nokia. The design also takes into consideration a situation in which the boiler needs to be integrated to a steam turbine in order to enable combined electricity and heat production,» says Jari Niemelä, Sales Director, Valmet.
Valmet’s delivery includes a Hybex fluidized bed boiler, the steam value of which is 68 megawatt, flue gas cleaning equipment, electrification and Metso DNA automation system. The boiler plant will be built in an existing boiler building, in which a coal-fired boiler delivered by Tampella and in operation since 1963, will be disassembled.
Valmet’s boiler solution
Valmet’s boiler solution that utilizes fluidized bed technology (BFB) is called Hybex. Due to its good fuel flexibility, high combustion efficiency, reliability, operability, and low emissions it is one of the leading boilers in the market. Valmet has delivered more than 200 Hybex boilers and boiler conversions worldwide.