Wärtsilä and Vantaa Energy to collaborate on synthetic biogas project
Wärtsilä and Finnish energy company Vantaa Energy have teamed up on a power-to-gas facility at Vantaa’s waste to energy plant.
The co-development agreement for the new plant, which would produce carbon-neutral synthetic biogas in the city of Vantaa, was signed in May and is valid for one year.
The Power-to-Gas facility will use carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and electricity generated at Vantaa’s waste-to-energy facility. The initial purpose of the partnership is to determine the optimal size of the project, the cost of synthetic biogas for district heating, and to understand the boundary conditions for project feasibility. Once determined, the two companies are planning to continue the joint development of the project towards a commercial-scale pilot project. Synthetic biogas would replace the use of conventional natural gas in district heating, helping to reduce Vantaa Energy’s CO2 emissions.
“We need to take fast and determined action in order to stop the climate crisis,” said Jukka Toivonen, CEO of Vantaa Energy. “In this situation, we energy companies have a significant role to play. We have stepped up the pace, and we will end the use of coal already in 2022.
“We want to be a driver for change in the energy sector. We are actively and with an open mind seeking the best possible methods of producing energy in a smart and sustainable way and at a reasonable price. This project is an important step towards our goals.”
Matti Rautkivi, director of strategy and business development at Wärtsilä Energy Business, commented: “Wartsila has been actively working on and investing in Power-to-X research since 2018, during which time we have gained a thorough general understanding of the technology.
“This co-development agreement will allow us to apply the know-how into a real project. We are very excited about this opportunity as it will demonstrate the feasibility of synthetic fuels as an integral part of power and heat systems, while developing the overall sector coupling concepts going forward.
“Both Vantaa Energy and Wärtsilä share the vision of a 100% renewable energy future, and this project is a perfect place to start building that vision into concrete business.”
The co-development agreement for the new plant, which would produce carbon-neutral synthetic biogas in the city of Vantaa, was signed in May and is valid for one year.
The Power-to-Gas facility will use carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and electricity generated at Vantaa’s waste-to-energy facility. The initial purpose of the partnership is to determine the optimal size of the project, the cost of synthetic biogas for district heating, and to understand the boundary conditions for project feasibility. Once determined, the two companies are planning to continue the joint development of the project towards a commercial-scale pilot project. Synthetic biogas would replace the use of conventional natural gas in district heating, helping to reduce Vantaa Energy’s CO2 emissions.
“We need to take fast and determined action in order to stop the climate crisis,” said Jukka Toivonen, CEO of Vantaa Energy. “In this situation, we energy companies have a significant role to play. We have stepped up the pace, and we will end the use of coal already in 2022.
“We want to be a driver for change in the energy sector. We are actively and with an open mind seeking the best possible methods of producing energy in a smart and sustainable way and at a reasonable price. This project is an important step towards our goals.”
Matti Rautkivi, director of strategy and business development at Wärtsilä Energy Business, commented: “Wartsila has been actively working on and investing in Power-to-X research since 2018, during which time we have gained a thorough general understanding of the technology.
“This co-development agreement will allow us to apply the know-how into a real project. We are very excited about this opportunity as it will demonstrate the feasibility of synthetic fuels as an integral part of power and heat systems, while developing the overall sector coupling concepts going forward.
“Both Vantaa Energy and Wärtsilä share the vision of a 100% renewable energy future, and this project is a perfect place to start building that vision into concrete business.”
