16 Bioenergy Internat ional No 81, 5-2015 in spring 2011 a decision was made by the municipal energy utility Oskarshamn Energi AB to invest around SEK 300 million in a new biomassfired combined heat and power (CHP) plant to cater for anticipated future demand. Construction came underway in April 2014 and the new plant was officially inaugurated at the end of August this year by HM King Carl XVI Gustaf and HRH Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden. Reduced carbon emissions Jointly owned by the municipality and the Swedish branch of energy major E.ON, Oskarshamn Energi supplies heat electricity and biogas to its citizens. Located at the site of a former heating plant the new 17 MWth and 4MWe facility will be fuelled using up to 55 percent moisture content forest industry residues such as bark, forest chips and sawdust sourced from the region. – In addition to 100 GWh of heat we expect that the plant will produce Feature : Distri ct energy Royal inauguration of new CHP Interest for district heating in the harbour town of Oskarshamn, on the southeastern coast of Sweden, has literally exploded over the last couple of years. Since 2007 the local energy company Oskarshamn Energi AB has increased its heat supply by 50 percent. To meet demand the company has invested in a new biomass-fired combined heat and power plant that has been royally inaugurated in time for the coming heating season. around 19 GWh annually of local renewable electricity, said Jöns Wahlström, CEO, Oskarhamn Energi. The new plant has the capacity to supply about 70 percent of the current annual heat demand. It also means that the company will have less than one percent fossil fuel in its district heating production. – We expect to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 26 500 tonnes per annum when our environmental effort is completed, said Wahlström. New build best option District heating is popular and since 2007 the rate of new connections to the network 2007 has been way above Oskarshamn Energi’s expectations. – It is the city’s thriving business that accounted for the largest increase. It is one of the reasons for our decision to invest in new heating capacity, said Wahlström. At the onset there were four different proposals on the table, including the possibility of using waste heat from the Oskarshamn nuclear power plant or from the Södra pulp mill in Mönsterås. – After a comprehensive evaluation of the different options we had identified, it became clear that a new, company owned CHP was the most cost-effective. It was also deemed to provide the greatest reliability of supply over time to our customers, which was perhaps the most important parameter, explained Jöns Wahlström. Despite increased raw material competition Oskarshamn Energi made the assessment that fuel availability will be sufficient during the life of the plant. The proximity to large forest areas and a well-developed port is a strategic advantage because transportation is a significant part of the fuel cost. Finland-based global energy technology supplier Valmet was chosen as the turnkey supplier of the plant. The scope of supply included delivery and installation of its patented BioGrate combustion technology, DNA automation, flue-gas condenser, ventilation as well personnel training and commissioning. – This project has been a technical success and we have been able to combine the know-how of many different Valmet teams. This plant is an excellent representation of our energy production technologies as well as environmental and automation solutions, and will serve as an important reference facility also for future projects, commented Bertel Karlstedt, Pulp and Energy business line President, from Valmet during the inauguration ceremony. Text: Markku Björkman BI81/4951/AS Jöns Wahlström, CEO Oskarshamn Energi (centre) thanking HRH Crown Princess Victoria for attending the inauguration. In his address HM King Carl XVI Gustaf linked the CHP plant to local action on combating climate change and the upcoming climate meeting in Paris. He highlighted the use of forest residue as a “good example” of utilising something that would otherwise go to waste. Photos courtesy Valmet
Bioenergy no 5 September 2015
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