Energy procurements of Turku Energia

Turku Energia is an energy supply company owned by the City of Turku. Turku Energia procures, sells and transfers electricity and heat mainly in the region of Turku. It develops, builds and maintains energy production plants and transfer and distribution networks. In 2005, the turnover of Turku Energia was  148 million.

One of the values of Turku Energia is environmental friendliness: "Turku Energia bears its responsibility for the environmental impacts of the energy supply, production, transfer and other activities. The company is a pioneering developer and introducer of environmentally friendly technologies." Today, the remote heat procurements of Turku Energia are largely based on a combined production of electricity and heat from fossil fuels. In 2005, some 70% of the district heat was produced at Fortum Oyj's Naantali plant from fossil fuels, mainly coal. The company is planning to replace coal by natural gas, the purchases of which are currently being negotiated. Turku Energia is systematically striving at increasing its own carbon dioxide free production of district heat. In addition to the biothermal plant of Oriketo, part of the district heat is produced from gas collected from the landfill. In addition, a heat pump plant is being constructed in connection with the sewage treatment plant of Kakola, in which the heat contained in sewage will be utilised in the production of district heat and district cooling. According to the present interpretation, production from the current incinerator plant is not considered in the emission trade scheme.

The district heat production not covered by the emission trade scheme today comprises some 25% of total purchases. By 2012, the share of production not covered by emission trade may rise to 40-50% of total procurements, in case the new incinerator plant, wood fuel plant of Oriketo and the expansion project of the heat pump plants of Kakola are implemented. We will then be able to say that Turun Energia has for its part contributed to the Kyoto commitments and reached the objective of 1990 emission levels.

by Mr Risto Vaittinen