Page 9 - European Energy Innovation - summer 2020 publication

Summer 2020 European Energy Innovation 9

COMMUNICATION

The excess electricity produced
by solar panels at Aitiopaikka can be
transmitted to neighbouring buildings.
Photo: ©Turku Energia, Esko Keski-Oja

For instance, a climate positive water produced for cooling purposes. underground wastewater treatment
system has been under development plant in Kakola as an experimental
in Turku. District heat from Kakola is used laboratory of new energy.
for heating approximately 15,000
“There is top level water expertise apartments. “Energy is also produced for example
in the Turku region. The efficient by using a turbine placed in a
treatment of wastewater has “While wastewater treatment plants wastewater effluent pipe”, he states.
already had a positive impact on are usually the worst energy guzzlers
the state of nearby sea areas. in municipalities, in Turku we have Naturally, also sludge generated
What is even better is that loads a wastewater treatment plant that in Kakola is utilised. Liquidised
of environmentally friendly energy is one of the biggest producers of biogas for road traffic use is made
is also generated in the process”, district heat.” out of it.
Grönholm says.
Approximately 10 per cent of all “We produce clean energy locally. In
At the wastewater treatment plant district heat needed in Turku is addition, local production is very good
in Kakola, district heat is made with produced in Kakola. from the point of view of security of
heat pumps out of waste heat in supply”, Grönholm states. ●
wastewater. The waste heat would An underground experimental
otherwise be left unutilised. At laboratory of new energy Text: Matti Välimäki
the same time, district cooling is Björn Grönholm describes the Translation: Aino Koivisto

The best climate city in Europe Contact information:

The objective of Turku is to be carbon neutral in 2029. However, this is Björn Grönholm
merely a milestone. Afterwards, the journey continues towards climate Development Manager
positivity and the city will eventually sequestrate more carbon than it Project Development Unit,
releases into the atmosphere. City of Turku
bjorn.gronholm@turku.fi
The ambitious goals of Turku and the climate measures that have
already been taken have also been internationally acknowledged. Joonas Rantala
Real Estate Engineer at the Turku
Turku has been selected the winner of European Covenant of Mayors Student Village Foundation
Climate Award 2020 as the best mid-sized Climate city. The best joonas.rantala@tys.fi
climate cities are selected among the ten thousand cities that are part
of the EU Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. Further information:
www.turku.fi/en/carbonneutralturku

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