Energy Genius of the Year 2023

Aalto University and Fortum have developed an energy-genius block-level heating and cooling system for the Otaniemi campus where industrial-scale heat pumps produce heat from the air and the waste heat of local properties.

In 2022, Valio’s Lapinlahti plant introduced a system that utilises flue-gas condensing technology, heat pumps and heat accumulators, as well as advanced control automation. The solution significantly improves energy efficiency in the plant and reduces emissions.

Valmet installed in its factory automatic solenoid valves that reduce the consumption of compressed air produced by electricity. Solenoid valves prevent the flow of unnecessary compressed air to the machine tool by restricting the flow of compressed air.

Energy efficiency in the S Group’s logistics centre located in Sipoo has been improved by means of comprehensive energy management. The logistics centre is the largest building in Finland with just over 216,000 square metres of floor area.

Vatajankoski Oy utilises waste heat from the production of Knauf Oy’s gypsum boards in its district heating network. The waste heat meets about one-third of the total annual energy demand of the Kankaanpää district heating network.

Mobile and versatile sensor technology provides a new way of improving energy efficiency and indoor air quality in residential properties. Measurement data shows the true status of energy efficiency and contributes to knowledge-based management of energy efficiency.

The steelworks was the first in Finland to start using mechanic vacuum pumps in the vacuum degassing of steel. This reduced the annual energy consumption of vacuum degassing by about 80 per cent in comparison to the previous multi-stage steam jet ejector system. The volume of energy saved, 20 GWh, corresponds to the annual consumption of 1,000 detached homes heated by electricity.

Lidl Finland is testing energy-efficient solutions and procedures in its energy-smart stores. The combination of geothermal heat and the recovery of condensing heat is utilised in Sutela in Kotka: the condensing heat of cold appliances is utilised and the surplus heat is pumped into the ground, acting as a heat accumulator. Energy use is optimised with the aid of automated systems and remote reading. The company also uses a virtual power plant for 136 stores to balance consumption peaks.

Elisa deployed a new kind of liquid-cooled mobile network base station, developed by Nokia. With the solution, the energy usage of the base station is reduced by up to a third and carbon dioxide emissions by 80 per cent at best.

In the Paulig coffee roastery located in Vuosaari in Helsinki, heat is recovered from the roasting process and conducted to Helen’s district heating network to heat up homes in Helsinki. The amount of waste heat recovered from the roasting process corresponds to the annual heat usage of 1,000 one-bedroom flats.

The awarded energy genius solution improves the energy efficiency of the refrigerating systems in grocery stores. The new system combines the refrigerating system, heat pump and the recovery systems for energy recycling. It utilises condensation heat, a by-product of cooling, seamlessly for heating the property.

The tours of the facilities at MSK Plast, which produces plastic parts, carried out during quiet hours revealed numerous objects which were consuming energy unnecessarily. Fixing those will bring significant savings.

The Orion Group’s subsidiary Fermion heats its Oulu plant with the waste heat from the flash steam of industrial water. The energy saved through this method equals the energy consumed by approximately 25 detached houses and reduces the CO2 emissions by an estimated 42,700 kg per year.

At Lapua schools, concrete examples and participation instil energy skills as part of the learning journey. Games, visits and gamification create powerful experiences for pupils and help accumulate important future energy skills.