In Finland, global forest industry and energy technology major Valmet Oyj has announced that it will supply an "extensive automation solution" to energy utility Oulun Energia Oy's new 215 MW biomass-fired combined heat and power plant (CHP), currently being built in the Laanila industrial park in Oulu. System commissioning is planned for 2019, and commercial operation is scheduled by the end of 2020.
As announced in January this year, Valmet will supply the core equipment of the Laanila plant – the multifuel boiler and the flue gas cleaning and condensing plant. The project for Valmet has now been extended to include a Valmet DNA automation system which includes safety-related systems, an information management system with applications for emission monitoring and power plant key performance indicator (KPI) calculations, to control and support operations throughout the entire facility.
The new 215 MW biomass CHP plant will be equipped multifuel boiler enabling the use of different fuels. The plant will use approximately 70 percent wood, 15 percent recycled fuels and 15 percent peat.
Once in production, the Laanila plant will replace the Toppila I power plant unit, which will not be able to meet new environmental requirements to be set in 2020 and will be removed from production. The Toppila II power plant unit, in use since 1995, will continue to produce energy until the end of its lifecycle, estimated to be in 2035.
With Valmet DNA automation solution, we will have the ability to interconnect our Laanila and Toppila plants and optimize their energy production efficiency. Moreover, having both equipment and control technology from a single supplier will allow the Laanila facility to be a seamlessly operating unit, benefiting from ever-more streamlined and controlled processes, said Jukka Salovaara, Project Director, Oulun Energia.
Valmet’s automation technology has been used in Oulun Energia’s power plant units Toppila I and Toppila II for several years.
We are glad to be able to continue and further deepen our cooperation with Oulun Energia. Equipping the new plant with a Valmet DNA automation system is especially meaningful in this project since both the boiler and the flue gas treatment plant will also be supplied by Valmet, said Olli Koivumäki, Sales Director, Automation, Valmet.
Although the value of the order has not be disclosed, Oulun Energia’s Laanila project is one of the biggest investments in the Oulu region in recent times. The estimated cost of the CHP plant alone is approximately EUR 200 million.
