Wärtsilä and Vantaa Energy have signed a collaboration agreement for the pre-engineering and development of a Vantaa Energy Power-to-Gas (P2G) project.
The plant, which is set to open in 2025, will be the largest in Finland and the first to manufacture carbon-neutral, synthetic methane on a commercial scale. It will have a fuel capacity of 10 MW. Synthetic methane is created by capturing carbon dioxide and producing hydrogen with renewable energy. The parties signed a collaboration agreement in May 2020 to conduct a concept study on the economics of the Power-to-Gas plant in conjunction with the Vantaa Energy waste-to-energy project. The choice to continue the research is based on the outcome, which supports the study’s ongoing planning and development.
The EU has set an unified goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, and has recently increased its emissions reduction target to 55% by 2030. Finland intends to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035. The plant will be a critical milestone in Vantaa Energy’s goal of becoming fossil-free by 2026. Using adaptable technologies to phase out the usage of fossil fuels is a critical enabler for carbon-neutral Vantaa Energy in 2030. The Power-to-Gas plant will enable Vantaa Energy to begin using renewable electricity to reduce CO2 emissions in district heating, other gas-consuming applications, and transportation. The initiative demonstrates the sector linkage of heat, energy, and transportation, which opens up entirely new business potential for Vantaa Energy.
Wärtsilä will lead the pre-engineering phase of the project. Once completed, the project will produce synthetic methane from renewable electricity sources by extracting hydrogen from water, as well as extract CO2 out of emissions from an existing waste to energy plant. The resultant methane will be sufficient for use in up to 200 trucks per day, and replace conventional, fossil natural gas in district heating during heating peaks in winter.
“The unique and excellent location of the plant has many advantages. We have access to clean water and renewable electricity using wind energy, and the waste heat produced in the process can be utilised for district heating. The location also enables connections between the electricity, heating, and transport sectors. The energy sector plays a significant role in climate change mitigation, and we are in the vanguard of contributing to a speedy transition to clean energy production.”
Jukka Toivonen, CEO, Vantaa Energy.
“The clock is ticking and we need to accelerate the move towards decarbonisation before it’s too late. This project showcases our vision of working towards a 100% renewable energy future, in which sector coupling and future fuels will play a decisive role. By cooperating with Vantaa Energy in this state-of-the-art project with us leading the pre-engineering, we are developing our Power-to-X technology and integration competences to meet future market needs. Collaboration with customers and other stakeholders supports our vision.”
Saara Kujala, General Manager, Business Development, Wärtsilä Energy.
Wärtsilä’s pre-engineering work is expected to be completed by the end of 2022, and the project is scheduled for completion in early 2025.
