Work has begun on building Mälarenergi's Block 7, a new waste wood-fired 150 MW combined heat and power (CHP) plant that will replace the last remaining fossil fuel-fired parts of its energy complex in Västerås, Sweden.
On October 4, a groundbreaking ceremony was held by Swedish municipal energy utility Mälarenergi AB to mark construction start of its new Block 7 CHP at its energy complex in Västerås. Led by Niklas Gunnar, Business Area Manager for Heat at Mälarenergi, participants included local politicians, the company’s board of directors along with staff, clients and suppliers.
This means that we will ever fulfil our most ambitious goal. Block 6 was an important step in our journey towards the future of society, and with Block 7 we are now moving all the way to being free from fuels like coal and oil, said Staffan Jansson, Chairman of the Board.
The new Block 7 plant represents an investment of SEK 1.7 billion (≈ EUR 179 million) and is expected to be operational in 3 years. With Block 7, the older parts of the complex will be phased out, deliveries of affordable district heating will be secured and the energy production will be free from coal and oil.
District heating is the absolute best form of heating and Västerås is one of the best examples in the world. 98 percent of the urban area is connected to the network. Now, we take the next step toward more sustainable energy production to provide customers with a still safe and affordable heating form, said Niklas Gunnar, Business Area Manager for Heat at Mälarenergi.
The new block replaces the oldest 50-year-old parts of the energy complex, which have been in operation since 1963 and are fueled with coal and oil. While Mälarenergi receives more environmentally friendly production with renewable and recycled fuels, the supply of district heating to customers in Västerås as well as the towns of Surahammar, Hallstahammar, Skultuna and Kolbäck is ensured for a long time to come.
