The innovative Energy Center, a joint project between local DSO Porvoon Energia and Ensto, has been completed at Ensto’s factory in Porvoo. With the commissioning of the Energy Center, Porvoon Energia cools Ensto’s production facilities and directs the recovered heat energy from the production process into the district heating network, where it is utilized to heat buildings throughout the city of Porvoo.
The opening of the Energy Center was celebrated on Thursday, 17 September at Ensto's Porvoo factory. The guests of the event and media representatives were able to learn about the operations of the Energy Center.
The amount of district heating produced by the Energy Center is enough to heat approximately 400–700 detached houses in Porvoo, depending on their energy consumption.
“Three million Finns live in homes heated by district heating. Not all waste heat can be utilized for heating, but the potential is significant. Imagine if the same approach adopted here in Porvoo were implemented throughout Finland. The methods, technology, and innovation already exist. What we need now is courage, responsibility, and collaboration. Porvoon Energia, Ensto, and Iotoi have shown that it is possible,” said Member of the Finnish Parliament Otto Andersson (SPP) at the morning opening event.
Member of Parliament Otto Andersson speaking at the opening event.
Local Expertise Behind a New Kind of Energy Solution
The Energy Center project combines the expertise of several organizations based in Porvoo. Porvoon Energia and Ensto have implemented the Energy Center in cooperation with Iotoi, also headquartered in Porvoo. The project is based on Iotoi’s innovative PIP3 three-pipe solution, with Iotoi serving as the project’s technology partner and main implementer.
The heat pumps were manufactured by Energy Machines, located in Emäsalo, Porvoo. Porvoon Paalurakenne acted as the main contractor, including responsibility for the piping system, while Sweco was responsible for engineering and design.
The project supports local, sustainable, and resource-efficient energy production. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland granted Porvoon Energia approximately EUR 2.1 million in funding for the project through Finland’s Sustainable Growth Programme (RRF). The project is co-funded by the European Union.
“It is inspiring to see how innovative collaboration between several local companies has resulted in a competitive and responsible solution for utilizing waste heat. Through this project, we can deliver value to our local customers while contributing to a more sustainable energy system,” said Måns Holmberg, CEO of Porvoon Energia.
CEO of Porvoon Energia, Måns Holmberg.
“This is a unique and significant project, both for Porvoo and for Finland as a whole. Waste heat is a valuable resource with enormous untapped potential. Recovering and utilizing it reduces the need for new energy production and combustion-based heat generation while lowering emissions. That makes this solution developed in Porvoo both economically and environmentally smart,” said Iida Miettinen, Vice Chair of the Board and owner of Ensto.
Vice Chair of the Board and owner of Ensto, Iida Miettinen, at the opening of the Energy Center.
The Energy Center Supplies Heat to Porvoo’s District Heating Network
Iotoi’s patented solution utilizes the district heating return line for heating buildings, and the same method can be used to distribute waste heat. The solution enables low-temperature energy to be supplied directly into Porvoon Energia’s district heating network without unnecessary electricity-based boosting or major modifications to the existing network.
The project implemented at Ensto’s production facility in Porvoo is the first major site where waste heat is fed into the return line of a district heating network. The same network also serves a major customer utilizing return heat, the Porvoo Central School.
“At the heart of the project is the efficient utilization of low-temperature heat through the three-pipe method. Alongside the technical innovation, a completely new business model has emerged for energy companies. If adopted more widely, it could accelerate circular economy practices throughout the district heating sector,” said Johnny Holmström, CEO of Iotoi.
Iotoi’s Johnny Holmström presenting the Energy Center project.
The cooling pipelines and air-handling units installed in Ensto’s production hall serve the requirements of the production process while also improving working conditions. The Energy Center provides 2.5 MW of cooling capacity and 4.5 MW of heating capacity. The heat produced by the Energy Center corresponds to approximately 2–4 percent of the total district heating volume in Porvoo.
The Energy Center is an example of how industrial waste heat can be utilized as part of local energy production. The solution reduces the need for combustion-based heat production and demonstrates the new opportunities created by utilizing the return line of district heating networks.
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