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DHC in Helsinki - The Ultimate Heating and Cooling Solution for a Large Urban Area
Marko RIIPINEN, Niko WIRGENTIUS

Abstract
Since the 1950s there has been a successful district energy business in Helsinki. It has been the main reason for superior energy efficiency and low CO2 emissions both in heating and cooling in the capital of Finland as well as providing clean air for the whole metropolitan area. The system has been developed on a commercial basis based on customers own willingness to select a district energy solution. It also provides a profitable energy business for the local energy company, Helsinki Energy. The Helsinki DHC system is a good example of the ultimate urban energy solution that provides benefits for the customer, energy company, metropolitan area and for all of society as well.

Keywords: District heating, District cooling, DHC

Introduction
Helsinki is the capital of Finland located at 60 altitude. It is the most northern capital in the world, with a population of more than 500 000. The climatic conditions are such that space heating is needed almost all year round. Heat energy demand is not limited to space heating. About one third of heat demand is related to domestic hot water. Despite a short summer, there is a lot of cooling demand in Helsinki. The buildings are optimized for a cold climate, and this creates more cooling demand during the summer. City of Helsinki is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. City of Helsinki during the summer

Helsinki Energy is one of the largest energy companies in Finland. It is a local municipal energy company owned by the City of Helsinki. It operates as an independent economic unit, in the form of a commercial enterprise. Helsinki Energy supplies electricity to nearly 400,000 customers in Finland and covers more than 90 percent of the heat demand of the capital city with district heating. Helsinki Energy produces and sells district cooling, which is considerably expanding in Helsinki. The companys revenue in 2008 was 793 million Euros and profit 283 million Euros.

Since 1953 the district heating based on combined heat and power has been available in Helsinki. A decade ago Helsinki Energy decided to integrate district cooling (DC) into the system, with great success. The EU has classified Helsinki Energys efficient district heating and district cooling system as a BAT (Best Available Technology).

District heating in Helsinki

Helsinki Energy is the largest heating company in Finland producing, distributing and selling district heat (DH). The district heat supplied by Helsinki Energy constitutes approximately a quarter of the district heat supplied in the entire country. District heating covers 93% of Helsinkis total heating energy demand. In Figure 2 is shown the size of district heating system in Helsinki.

Figure 2. District heating system in Helsinki

Helsinki Energy sells 6 800 GWh of heat per year to more than 13 600 customers. The building volume of district heated buildings is over 170 Mm3 and floor area over 60 Mm2. Total connected heat load is about 3350 MW. Figure 3 presents property types of the district heating system. Measured by the volume of heat delivered, Helsinki Energy is one of the major district heating companies in Europe.

Figure 3. District heating customer types

Helsinki district heating has been business based throughout its history. Customers have been connected on voluntary bases because price level has been very competitive. The company has never received any financial support from the owner, the city of Helsinki. Still the energy business is profitable and the price of heat is comparatively low. District heating is the core of profitable energy business of Helsinki Energy.

The benefits of DH for the customer include ease of maintenance, affordability and environmental friendliness. District heating is the best and safest option for customers in Helsinki. Once a building is connected to the district heating network, the building owner and the users of the building enjoy a reliable and harmless heating solution.

In Helsinki Energy we keep three dimensions in balance: Reliable and sufficient distribution of energy The environmentally benign operations to reduce climate change The moderate, stable and competitive price of energy

District heating production District heating production is mainly based on four large CHP plants located in three different areas: Vuosaari, Hanasaari and Salmisaari. The district heating system also

5 includes 10 heat only boilers for the peak and back-up production, one large scale heat pump plant and pumping stations. Figure 4 and 5 present views of CHP plants in Vuosaari and Salmisaari.

Figure 4. Vuosaari A and B CHP plants. Total electrical power output is 630 MW and heat output is 580 MW. Fuel efficiency is 94%. Main fuel is natural gas.

Figure 5. Salmisaari CHP plant. Total electrical output is 230 MW and heating output 420 MW. Fuel efficiency is 86%. Main fuel is coal

Natural gas represents 60 % of district heat production. The other fuels are coal 35%, heat pumps 3% and oil 2%. Figure 6 shows district heating production in the year 2008.

Figure 6. Fuels used in DH production

Distribution of district heating The distribution reliability of district heat is high and the cut-offs are rare. The heating network has been built in such a way that heat can be delivered to the customer using several separate routes, if needed. At present, the total length of the district heating network is 1 350 km. About 35 km of new district heating network is being built annually. More than 55 km of main pipes are located in energy tunnels 40-70 meters under the ground. Figure 7 shows a view from an energy tunnel. District cooling uses the same tunnels for main pipelines under the city center. The average cut-off time is less than 3 hours a year. More than 95 % of cut-offs are informed to the customers 2-5 days before the cut-off. Annual heat losses of the network are about 6 %.

Figure 7. View from an energy tunnel

District Cooling in Helsinki

District cooling (DC) refers to commercial cooling energy supply on the basis of a contract between Helsinki Energy and a customer. For the building owners it is an outsourced cooling solution that provides reliable and harmless cooling delivery year round, 24 hours a day.

Figure 8. Principle of district cooling system

Cooling energy is delivered to the customers via a district cooling network that is full of cold water. The principle of district cooling is shown in Figure 8. District cooling is a suitable solution for all kinds of buildings like hotels, offices, shopping centers and for residential buildings as well. Further, both new buildings and existing buildings can be connected to a district cooling system. However, district cooling is suitable for nearly all kinds of densely built-up areas where cooling demand exists. The fundamental idea behind district cooling is to use local resources that otherwise would be wasted or unused. Local resources that can be utilized for cooling production vary a lot between different cities. Therefore, as shown in figure 9, every district cooling system has to be designed based on local conditions as it has been done in Helsinki. However, most major cities in world have local resources available for efficient district cooling systems.

Figure 9. Yearly District cooling production

Whenever it is possible, district cooling in Helsinki is produced by using cold water. Cold sea water is an inexhaustible source of cooling energy. This production method is called free cooling or natural cooling. The process is very simple since, except for heat exchangers, no other equipment is needed. The principle of free cooling is shown in Figure 10. In Helsinki, the free cooling period is about six months every year and it represent about one third of yearly district cooling energy production. Free cooling is 100 % renewable and no additional energy is needed for production.

Figure 10. Principle of free cooling

During the summer, when free cooling is not available, cooling energy is primarily produced by absorption cooling plants. The fuel of absorption plants is surplus heat from electricity production, industrial processes or any other heat sources. The absorption process is shown in Figure 11.

Figure 11. Absorption cooling process

About half of production during the summer is based on absorption in Helsinki. Nearly all the heat for absorption would otherwise be wasted. Absorption is not renewable but it does not have to be because the additional fuel supply for cooling production is equal to zero. Unfortunately, some efficiency evaluations are limited to production efficiency, so absorption cooling appears to be an inefficient cooling production. However, energy efficiency evaluation should not be limited to production efficiency. Absorption is reasonable in cases where surplus heat is available. If this heat would be lost otherwise, no additional fuel or any other energy is needed for cooling production. Another production method during the summer is heat pump technology. A heat pump is especially efficient when it produces district heating and district cooling in the same process, as shown in Figure 12. In Helsinki, the worlds largest combined production heat pump plant utilizes sea water and cleaned sewage water. It is designed to produce district heating and district cooling in the same process. Therefore, overall COP (coefficient of performance) is 5.0 or even higher.

Figure 12. Principle of heat pump plant that produces district heating and district cooling in same process

10 District cooling is eco-efficient urban energy at its best. The ecological efficiency of district cooling is supreme compared to building specific cooling solutions because of the high utilization of resources that otherwise would be wasted. District cooling reduces fossil fuel consumption and CO2 emissions remarkably compared to alternative cooling solutions. All the other emissions are dramatically lower as well. About 80 % of yearly district cooling production in Helsinki is based on resources which otherwise would be wasted and the current share of renewable energy is about 60 %.
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250 MW

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Figure 13. Growth of the district cooling in Helsinki

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78 MW
39 MW 11 MW

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2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020

District cooling business started in Helsinki 10 years ago. The growth of the business has been rapid and it is estimated that the growth will continue in the following years. Current connected district cooling load in Helsinki is about 100 MW and it is estimated that connected load will be about 250 MW in the year 2020, as shown in Figure 13. District cooling in Helsinki is the third largest cooling system in Europe. Only DC systems in Paris and Stockholm are larger than in Helsinki.

Environmental benefits by district energy system

More than 90 % of district heating is produced by combined heat and power (CHP) plants. The efficiency of CHP at Helsinki Energy exceeds 90%, which is among the highest in the world. If electricity and heat were to be produced separately, the fuel costs and emissions would be at least 40% higher. Saved fuel by CHP in Helsinki between 1990 and 2008 is shown in Figure 14.

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Figure 14. Fuel saved by using combined heat and power production

The combination of DH, DC and CHP in Helsinki reduces emissions by 2.7 million tons of CO2 annually. The CO2 emissions of Helsinki Energy were 5 % lower in the year 2008 compared to year 1990 (Kyoto reference year). At the same time delivered energy increased more than 50 %. Between the years 1990 and 2008 Helsinki Energy connected almost 5 000 new DH-customers with annual energy use of nearly 2 000 GWh. The CO2 emissions related to those buildings would be more than 0.5 million tons greater with alternative heating solutions. The CO2 savings by enlargement of DHC and CHP is estimated to be equal to 0.8 million tons between 1990 and 2008. The specific CO2 emission factor is about 40 % lower in 2008 compared to 1990 as shown in the Figure 15. The main reason for a lower CO2 factor is the larger share of natural gas that has replaced coal.

Figure 15. Specific carbon dioxide emission

12 Helsinki Energy actively promotes sensible energy end-use. The Energy Advisory Centre for households has served our customers for over 30 years. Feedback reporting on electricity consumption has been available to our customers for ten years, and a property-specific consumption reporting facility in district heating has been in use for twenty years. Figure 16 presents energy consumption development of heated buildings.

Figure 16. Specific energy consumption of district heated buildings in Helsinki. In addition to CHP, Helsinki Energy uses tri-generation, which means that district cooling is also produced in the same process as heat and electricity. Helsinki is an excellent example of how the efficient use of fossil fuels can be environmentally friendly through the combined production of electricity, district heating and district cooling. Benefits of district cooling Overall energy efficiency of district cooling in Helsinki is approximately five times better compared to building specific cooling system as shown in Figure 17. The values are the ratios between net primary energy supply and cooling energy demand in the building during one year. A lower factor means lower primary energy supply and vice versa. Because of low use of primary energy, CO2 and other GHG emissions of district cooling are less than 20 % compared to building specific cooling systems in Helsinki.

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Figure 17. Overall primary energy consumption for different cooling solutions

It is estimated that connected district cooling load in Helsinki will be about 250 MW in the year 2020. It will reduce yearly fossil fuel supply about 300 GWh compared to alternative cooling solutions. This 300 GWh of fossil fuel is equal to 25 million litres of oil. Yearly CO2 emissions will be reduced by about 100 000 tons compared to alternative cooling solutions. This 100 000 tons is equal to the CO2 emissions of 700 million kilometres of driving by a car.

The environmental benefits of district cooling are not limited to energy efficiency and CO2. Harmful refrigerants are avoided in the buildings and CFC-compounds are not needed.In addition, large investments for the electricity production and distribution capacity are avoided. Lastly, there is no noise related to cooling and therefore city is more comfortable for the people.

Other emissions In addition to climate protection, the local air quality must also be taken into account in new energy solutions. Thanks to district heating, the chimney stacks of individual buildings have disappeared from the city and the air quality in Helsinki has improved considerably. The improvement of air quality was advanced by the introduction of desulphurization plants to coal-fired power plants in the 1980s and 1990s and by the increasing share of natural gas in the range of fuels used.

The project of the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the University of Helsinki, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, and Helsinki Energy on investigating the quantity, quality and origin of micro particles in the city air started in the operating

14 year 2008. The results reveal that the flue gases from CHP and other plants are relatively low and only a minor part of the particles are from energy production. Figure 18 presents particle emissions for 1990-2008.

Acidifying emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides have been decreased substantially for 1990-2008 as shown in Figure 19.

Figure 18. Particle emissions

Figure 19. Acidifying emissions

Award-winning district energy solutions in Helsinki

European Parliament Award In 2008, Helsinki Energy won the regional championship award in the European parliament regional awards competition. The Award is shown in Figure 20. The argument was that Helsinki Energy is the world leader in co-generation efficiency and continues to strive for further improvement.
Figure 20. European parliament regional award

Helsinki Energys eco-efficient cogeneration received the highest number of votes and therefore won the European Regional Champion Award in the category of Energy Champion by the European Parliaments Committee of the Regions

15 United Nations recognition of the City of Helsinki

Helsinki Energy received recognitions for dedication, leadership and commitment to the enhancement of the quality of the urban environment. The United Nations award is shown in Figure 21.

Figure 21. United Nations recognition of Helsinki Energy

Cogeneration was also recognized in the country review of the International Energy Agency IEA In 2008, the efficiency rate of more than 90% in companys tri-generation was also awarded full marks in an impartial country-specific review by the International Energy Agency IEA. This international independent energy organization has published a country review of Finlands district heat and cooling production. The IEA report awarded Finland with the highest possible number of points and commends Helsinki Energy as an outstanding example. Safeguarding the operating preconditions of tri-generation is important in terms of global climate protection and local air quality. Only Finland and Denmark were countries where CHP/DHC systems are classified as being worth a maximum 5 points. Helsinki was the example solution from Finland in the IEA rating.

Awards and merits in Finland

The Ministry of Trade and Industry has created an agreement model in co-operation with the energy sector as an incentive for energy companies to act in accordance with the national Energy and Climate Strategy. Helsinki Energy received an energy conservation award in 2006, applying to all of the agreement sectors: district heating, electricity transmission and distribution, and the power plant sector.

The reasons for granting the award included the fact that Helsinki Energy actively implements the agreement with respect to its customers and within its own organization. At Helsinki Energy, energy efficiency agreements are part of the

16 environmental management system. Utilization of new technology was also emphasized. Helsinki Energys district heating operations have been developed in a purposeful and customer-oriented manner. In 2007, Helsinki Energys District heating received Excellence Finlands valued five-star Recognized for Excellence Award in the category of operational units of enterprises. This recognition was the direct result of the companys persistent development of operational processes. Helsinki Energy has also been awarded a Fair District Heating Quality Label. The Label has been designed to increase the transparency of energy and district heating company operations. In addition, Helsinki Energys DH management system is certificated by Det Norske Veritas. The certificate is shown in Figure 22.

Figure 22. DNV Management System Certificate.

An example of a smart solution: The worlds largest waste water heat pump plant
The plant is the worlds largest heat pump plant that produces both district heating and district cooling by utilizing purified sewage water and sea water. Its output is 90 MW of district heating and 60 MW of district cooling. This is enough to heat a small town. Figure 23 shows the size of one heat pump.

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Figure 23. One heat pu ump from th he Katri Vala heat pump plant a

The Katri Vala heating and cooling plant was commissioned at the end of the year e a d d d r 2006. The plan is about 30 meters un nt nder the gro ound in cave especially made for the es y t plan It is located under th Katri Vala Park near the city ce nt. he r enter. The plant is a goo od exam of a so mple olution that utilizes ene ergy that oth herwise wou be wast or unuse It uld ted ed. imp proves energ efficiency, lowers C 2 emissions and prov gy CO vides a real option to opti imize the pr roduction m the most profitable way in ever single ho during th mix t ry our he year r.

Con nclusion
trict energy business in Helsinki is a great exa y n s ample of an energy eff n ficient urban n Dist syst tem. It is ba ased on sustainable hea ating and cooling solutions that pro ovide a prof fitable energ business for a local energy com gy s mpany. The growth of t heating and the cooling system have been based on t custome own will ms n the ers lingness to select distri ict heat ting or distr cooling in the free e rict energy markets. Bec cause of sup perior energy efficiency and utiliza y y ation of reso ources that o otherwise wou be waste or unused it generat a huge primary ene uld ed d, tes p ergy and CO2 savings in O n the capital of F Finland. Abo 9000 GW of prim out Wh mary energy and 2.7 mil llion tons of f CO2 emissions are saved a annually. Th other env he vironmental advantages are related to l s d clea air in the city and oth similar factors that makes the city more c an her t comfortable and heal lthy for the people. Both heating an cooling s h nd systems are made flexi to adapt to a rapidl changing e ible t ly g busi iness enviro onment. The inevitable rise of the energy pric will mak the most e e ces ke effic cient system relatively more prof ms y fitable. The flexible pro oduction mi enables ix

18 optional use of primary energy that allows the adaptation to CO2 challenges and to rapidly changing fuel prices. For the customers the flexibility provides a stable and predictable heating and cooling prices and an eco-efficient energy supply as well. Efficient district energy systems will generate win-win-win situation because it is the best solution for the customer, profitable for the company and the most sustainable for the environment. District energy systems in Helsinki will not only be the story of success between the 1950s and present. The success will continue in the following decades and the systems will have stronger positions in the market. The local conditions and circumstances vary a lot between cities, but the same success could be achieved by the similar principle and solutions in the most of the major cities around the world.

For further information:

Marko Riipinen, director District heating Tel. +358 9 617 2912 marko.vj.riipinen@helen.fi Niko Wirgentius, director District cooling Tel. +358 9 617 2906 niko.wirgentius@helen.fi HELSINKI ENERGY Kampinkuja 2 00090 HELEN - Finland www.helen.fi