Malärenergi to phase out use of fossil fuels by 2020. Announces investment plans for new 150 MW post-consumer wood waste fired combined heat and power (CHP) to replace older boiler units.

The board of Swedish municipal energy utility Malärenergi AB has set the most ambitious goal in the history of the company – to phase out the final uses of fossil fuels at its main energy production plant by 2020. Supplying heat and power to the city of Västerås, the company has revealed plans to invest an estimated SEK 1.7 billion (≈ EUR 179 million) into phasing out the older fossil fuel fired boiler units 1 and 2 at its Västerås plant. This involves designing and procuring a new 150 MW combined heat and power (CHP), unit 7, to be built adjacent to the 167 MW waste- and biomass fired unit 6, which was commissioned in 2014. The plant will use post-consumer waste wood as fuel. Subject to meeting final approval by the City Council later this year, the new plant could be operational by the end of 2020.
– This is the biggest step towards a sustainable society we’ve ever taken. When we built Block 6 it was an important step on the path that led us to greatly reduced emissions of fossil carbon dioxide. With Block 7, we completely go away from fuels like coal and oil, said Staffan Jansson, Chairman of the Board, Mälarenergi in a statement.
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