Information on district heating
Clean and hassle-free local heating
Neven’s district heating is a hassle-free, affordable and sustainable heating solution for residents, produced close to where you live and mainly using local Lapland energy sources. District heating is also sustainable and environmentally friendly, as we use mainly renewable raw materials in our heat production. We are aiming for completely carbon-neutral energy production by 2030!
We maintain and monitor the condition of our network around the clock, so you can rest assured. You can sign up to receive text message alerts via Assari for planned maintenance outages and rare fault-related outages. Go to Assari.
LOCAL ENERGY PRODUCTION
Our district heating is produced with high efficiency at heating and power stations. Our main energy production facility is the Suosiola power station in Rovaniemi. The Suosiola power station is what is known as a CHP plant, meaning that it produces both heat and electricity. The abbreviation CHP stands for combined heat and power.
In addition to Suosiola, our production facilities in Rovaniemi include, amongst others, the Muurola and Nivavaara heating plants, as well as the Mäntyvaara biogas plant. In the Savukoski, Kolari, Pyhätunturi, Pelkosenniemi and Ylläsjärvi areas, district heating is supplied by the district heating plants of Neven’s subsidiary, Aurora Lämpö Oy. In addition, Aurora Lämpö supplies heat to certain locations in Rovaniemi.
Almost 100 per cent of our district heating is produced using local Lapland fuels, such as recycled wood, industrial by-products, wood chips and peat. The share of fossil fuels consists mainly of Lapland peat, the proportion of which has been steadily declining in recent years. Our long-term goal is to phase out the use of peat and other fossil fuels entirely by 2030, whilst ensuring the continued reliability of our district heating supply.
RENEWABLE LOCAL HEAT
All the heat produced by Neven is largely generated using emission-free fuels, but Renewable Local Heating is 100 per cent emission-free. Carbon-neutral and renewable energy sources are used in production: whole-tree and branch wood chips, sawdust, bark and wood shavings. For a minimal additional charge, you can ensure that your heat is guaranteed to be entirely renewable! Find out more about Renewable Local Heating.
WHAT IS IN DISTRICT HEATING WATER
The water flowing through the district heating network is dyed green to make it easier to detect any faults in the pipes or heat exchangers. A non-toxic green chemical is used as the dye. An anti-scaling agent has also been added to the district heating water to protect the district heating systems from limescale build-up.
District heating water is not toxic, but it is not intended for domestic use, and certainly not for drinking. Greenish, warm domestic hot water should not be used for cooking. However, you can shower as normal. You can also use your dishwasher and washing machine as normal, as these usually heat their own water. District heating water must never be used in place of domestic water.
If you notice green water outdoors or inside a building, please report it to our emergency service: 016 331 6555
If green water is coming out of the tap, there is a leak in the domestic hot water transfer unit and district heating water is entering the domestic hot water system. Please contact your maintenance company or a plumbing contractor to have the transfer unit replaced. A fault in the transfer unit does not necessarily mean that the entire system needs to be replaced.
HOW DOES DISTRICT HEATING WORK IN SMALL PROPERTIES?
Heat is supplied to customers as hot water via an underground dual-pipe district heating network, usually laid beneath streets and footpaths. Customers receive the heat at a heat distribution centre in their home. The centre transfers the heat from the district heating network to the heat distribution equipment in the customer’s home, such as radiators or ventilation systems. In addition, the heat distribution centre heats domestic hot water precisely according to the residents’ needs.
From the heat distribution centre, the water from the district heating network returns to the production plant in a cooled state to be reheated. District heating is, in fact, clean local heating produced by local people using local fuels. This form of heating offers high operational reliability and guarantees the availability of hot water.
Heat distribution centres are factory-built units that are reliable and long-lasting. The equipment requires little space, as there is no need for boilers, storage tanks or fuel stores. The need for maintenance or repairs to the customer’s equipment is minimal. District heating has a small carbon footprint and is produced locally.
HOW DOES DISTRICT HEATING WORK IN A HOUSING ASSOCIATION?
As a form of heating, district heating is a stable investment in the future for a housing association; as well as being hassle-free, it is also an environmentally friendly choice, and its price trends have been more moderate compared to electric and oil heating.
Heated district heating water is pumped to the housing association’s sub-distribution centres via the district heating network. The district heating water uses heat exchangers in the heat distribution centre to heat the water circulating in the housing association’s heating network – i.e. the supply water – and to heat domestic hot water. The cooled district heating water returns to the power station to be reheated.
The temperature of the supply water in the heating network is adjusted using a control valve by regulating the flow of district heating water through the heat exchangers. The temperature of the water entering the heating network is determined by the outdoor temperature, i.e. the set heating control curve: the colder the air outside, the warmer the water fed into the heating network to maintain the agreed indoor temperature.
The heating systems installed in customers’ premises are simple and easy to use. They require little maintenance and are also long-lasting. The heat is steady and the hot water supply is plentiful – enough even for an entire army – just as we have here!
THE SUOSIOLA POWER STATION IS BEING MODERNISED AS PART OF A LONG-TERM STRATEGY
Since 2012, determined and substantial development work has been carried out to improve the efficiency of the Suosiola power station. Over the last six years, the efficiency of combined heat and power generation has been increased by more than 20 per cent to its current level of around 100 per cent. Improving efficiency helps to curb rises in other production costs, as savings are generated through, amongst other things, improved fuel utilisation efficiency.
The modernisation of Suosiola is the result of several upgrades. The introduction of a flue gas scrubber in 2014 significantly increased the plant’s efficiency. Previously, the thermal energy from the flue gases was literally lost to the elements. Now, most of this energy is recovered in the flue gas scrubber. In addition to energy recovery, the scrubber also significantly reduces particulate emissions. The efficiency of the flue gas scrubber was further improved through a capacity upgrade in 2016. Year on year, more waste heat has been recovered from the water vapour in the flue gases.
In 2018, the smaller, original 27-megawatt water-steam boiler at Suosiola – which was originally built to run on peat – was replaced by a larger 40-megawatt water-steam boiler fuelled by biofuels. In 2020, an investment was made in Suosiola’s 120-megawatt back-pressure power station to eliminate technical dependence on peat.
In 2025, production will be further developed to become even more independent of fossil fuels through the commissioning of a 60-megawatt electric boiler and a wastewater heat recovery, which is estimated to produce around 40 gigawatt-hours of heat per year. In future, the new electric boiler and heat pump plant are estimated to account for over 20 per cent of Neven’s district heating production, equivalent to the annual energy consumption of over 5,000 households. This will increase the share of renewable energy and save on other fuels: The electric boiler can be utilised to an increasing extent, for example, due to the growth in renewable wind power and the increase in windy days, when electricity prices are lower.
District heating emissions are publicly available via the emissions calculator, completely free of charge. The calculator is an information system developed by Paikallisvoima ry in collaboration with district heating companies and stakeholders, and is currently maintained by the Finnish Energy Industries, which displays district heating’s CO₂ emissions by locality. Go to the emissions calculator.
