🇫🇮 Valmet to convert Helen Ltd’s coal-fired district heat boiler to a pellet-fired BFB boiler at the Salmisaari power plant in Helsinki, Finland

Press release for Valmet

Valmet is to convert Helen Ltd’s coal-fired district heat boiler to bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) combustion to enable wood pellet firing at the Salmisaari ‘A’ power plant in Helsinki, Finland. The conversion promotes the company’s goal of phasing out coal and at the same time strengthens the construction of a sustainable energy system.

The order is included in Valmet’s orders received of the second quarter 2023. The value of the order will not be disclosed. The converted boiler will be handed over to the customer in January 2025.

“Our goal is carbon-neutral energy production in 2030. Sustainable bioenergy is part of the overall solution to achieve our goal. The versatile production structure ensures reliability of heat supply even in freezing weather. This project is an important step for us on the way to carbon neutrality. We trust Valmet’s abilities to complete this demanding project on time,” says Juhani Aaltonen, responsible for Helen’s sustainable energy solutions.

“Converting an existing coal-fired boiler to biofuel combustion is a quick and cost-effective way to transition from fossil to renewable fuels. Valmet has decades of experience of successful boiler conversions,” says Niina Ollikka, Director, Energy Business Unit, Rebuilds and Conversions, Valmet.

The project is a continuation of the good cooperation between Helen and Valmet. In 2018, Valmet started-up a 92 MWth pellet-fired heating plant at the Salmisaari power plant area, and during this year the heat recovery plant belonging to the Vuosaari bioheating plant will be completed.

Technical information about the delivery

Valmet’s turnkey delivery includes a fuel conversion from pulverized coal to wood pellets on a hot water boiler. It will be modified to a bubbling fluidized bed boiler with a fuel capacity of 150 MW.

The delivery includes a flue gas cleaning system and a heat recovery system and modification to the Valmet DNA automation system, as well as all necessary auxiliary systems. After the conversion, the plant will produce district heat with extremely high efficiency – the flue gas temperature at the stack will be only 13 C.

About the customer

Helen Ltd helps to make everyday life a little easier for over 550,000 customers in Finland. In addition to heat, cooling and electricity, the company offers solutions for regional and renewable energy, smart buildings and electric transport. Helen aims to achieve 100% carbon neutrality in its energy production by 2030.

VALMET

Corporate Communications

For further information, please contact:

Niina Ollikka, Director, Rebuilds and Conversions, Energy Business Unit, Valmet, tel. +358 40 551 5616

Valmet is a leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. With our automation systems and flow control solutions we serve an even wider base of process industries. Our 17,500 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers’ performance forward – every day.

The company has over 220 years of industrial history and a strong track record in continuous improvement and renewal. In 2022, a major milestone was achieved when the flow control company Neles was merged into Valmet. Valmet’s net sales in 2022 were approximately EUR 5.1 billion.

Valmet’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki and the head office is in Espoo, Finland.   

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Originally published on 4 May.

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