Circular economy

ECCU – Energy Carbon Capture & Utilisation

Sustainability and emission-free operations are at the core of the Westenergy’s strategy and are also key concerns for our owners, business partners, and the entire Vaasa region. Westenergy’s goal is to achieve carbon-neutral energy production by the early 2030s, and over the past year, significant progress has been made toward this goal with the advancement of the carbon capture and utilisation project (ECCU).

The primary objective of the ECCU project is to minimise the carbon dioxide emissions released from Westenergy’s plant’s chimney and to promote the reuse of carbon dioxide on an industrial scale. In October 2023, we signed a letter of intent with CPC Finland Oy, Prime Capital AG, and their joint venture Koppö Energia Oy to develop, construct, and operate a state-of-the-art carbon dioxide recovery plant.

The project received an energy investment subsidy of 20 million euros from the the Ministry of Employment and the Economy in December 2023, and the design of the carbon capture plant progressed significantly over the past year. To support the implementation and management of the project, a dedicated project company, Eccu Oy, was established. In March 2024, Ramboll Denmark A/S was selected as the Owner’s Engineer for the project, and in July 2024, a contract was signed with Andritz AG for the front-end engineering design (FEED) of the recovery process.

Over the past year, the project has progressed systematically into the front-end engineering design phase, ensuring the feasibility of technical, financial, and operational solutions before the final investment decision. This phase has been crucial, as it has allowed us to solidify the plant’s technical concept and structure, plan the details of the implementation phase, and prepare the key permits necessary for the plant’s realisation.

“The project’s progress in 2024 has been made possible by our motivated and highly skilled team, as well as our excellent partnerships. Together with our collaborators, we have built a strong foundation for the project’s implementation, and we look forward to taking the next development steps on our journey towards a more sustainable future,” says Kai Alavillamo, Westenergy’s Technical Manager and Project Manager of the ECCU project.

Significant steps forward were also made in terms of regulation last year. In cooperation with the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of South Ostrobothnia and the Regional State Administrative Agency for Western and Inland Finland, matters related to the permitting requirements of the future facility were resolved. In summer 2024, an official decision confirmed that the recovery plant does not require a separate environmental permit, significantly accelerating the project’s overall permitting process. In August, the Municipal Council of Mustasaari approved a zoning plan amendment for Westenergy’s site, allowing the area to accommodate operations related to carbon recovery.

The long-term impacts of the project are significant. Once completed, theplant will substantially reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the flue gases of Westenergy’s waste-to-energy plant. After commissioning, the new unit will be capable of capturing up to 95 per cent of the carbon dioxide in flue gases. The recovered carbon dioxide will be delivered to Koppö Energia’s future plant in Kristiinankaupunki to produce synthetic fuels. The captured amount corresponds to the annual carbon footprint of approximately 20,000 people. 

In addition, carbon dioxide is also intended to be used in the future to produce products that permanently bind carbon. Over the past year, Westenergy has actively studied potential end users of carbon dioxide across different industries, as well as the commercial feasibility of using recycled carbon dioxide in various products. 

“The recovery plant provides a source of high-quality recycled carbon dioxide, which can be utilised in applications such as the production of synthetic fuels, the manufacturing of mineral products for the construction industry, and chemical industry processes. The collaboration with Koppö Energia highlights the project’s potential to support the green transition and create new business opportunities in Finland, positioning the country as a pioneer in Europe,” says Juha Ripatti, Head of Business Intelligence, responsible for Westenergy’s strategic projects, regarding the potential uses of carbon dioxide. 

Over the past year, the project has attracted interest both nationally and internationally due to its innovative approach. Overall, the ECCU project supports industrial development in the Vaasa region, creates new investment opportunities, and promotes the goals of a sustainable circular economy in Finland. 

Over the past year, notable progress was made, particularly in the development of AI-based solutions and the management of material flows within the circular economy.

In 2024, in addition to its carbon capture and utilisation project, Westenergy continued its active commitment to developing the circular economy by participating in other significant research and development initiatives. These projects support Finland’s and the EU’s circular economy goals and enable more practical solutions to circular economy challenges. The circular economy projects are carried out in collaboration with companies from various industries, research institutions, and universities. Over the past year, notable progress was made, particularly in the development of AI-based solutions and the management of material flows within the circular economy. Additionally, we actively supported and monitored projects aimed at improving the efficiency of renewable energy and hydrogen production.

In 2024, two new projects were launched, in which Westenergy plays a significant role.

In 2024, two new projects were launched, in which Westenergy plays a significant role. One of these, the MAP-UP-P2X project, focuses on mapping carbon dioxide and material flows in the region and exploring their industrial utilisation potential in Ostrobothnia. Westenergy is a key regional player in this field and serves as an expert in the project. In 2024, the project hosted workshops, conducted multidisciplinary research, and organised events that have brought new perspectives and partnership opportunities for carbon recycling along the west coast. The MAP-UP-P2X project supports Westenergy’s goal of developing carbon recycling as part of a responsible circular economy. As an outcome, the project will produce a regional roadmap and recommendations for future investments.

In spring 2024, also a Ekoälyä project was launched as a nationwide initiative co-funded by the European Union, focusing on the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance municipal waste sorting and recycling. Improving the circular economy requires more extensive, high-quality, and comprehensive data collection and sharing within the waste management system. The project’s goal is to develop AI- and sensor-based solutions that can identify recyclable materials within mixed municipal waste. Sensor-based technologies can be applied at various stages of the waste management value chain, such as in waste bins, waste collection vehicles, and waste treatment facilities. A key part of the project is also the development of a data ecosystem to facilitate collaboration between stakeholders in waste management and the circular economy.

The Ekoälyä project is carried out in collaboration with Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, the University of Turku, and Westenergy. Haaga-Helia is responsible for coordinating the project, while the University of Turku oversees the technical implementation of identification solutions. Westenergy, together with its owners, provides the industrial framework for piloting. Thanks to successful collaboration over the past year, the project has progressed towards the pilot phase, which is set to begin in 2025, including trials at the Westenergy’s waste-to-energy plant in Mustasaari.

Successful collaboration over the past year has enabled progress towards commercial piloting, which is set to begin in 2025 at Westenergy’s waste-to-energy plant in Mustasaari.

In summer 2024, Ceyda Ceri joined Westenergy as a circular economy expert and has played a pivotal role in the Ekoälyä project. Her responsibilities have included researching automated waste identification and monitoring systems as well as planning the pilot phase. Read below about circular economy expert Ceyda Ceri’s experiences with the Ekoälyä project last year and the role of AI in waste management.

Sustainable and stable energy production

The productional goal of Westenergy is to utilise the non-recyclable part of community waste in electricity and district heating production as efficiently and sustainably as possible. The energy produced at the Westenergy’s waste-to-energy plant has a significant local environmental impact, as it reduces the need for fossil fuels in energy production.

Energy can be utilised in two forms: electricity and district heat, and the production ratio between them can be adjusted. Due to market conditions and fluctuations in electricity prices, last year’s energy production focused more on district heat than in previous years. The optimisation of electricity and district heat production has continued in close cooperation with Vaasan Sähkö Oy.

We produced 390 gigawatt-hours of district heat, which covers over 50 per cent of the total district heating demand in the Vaasa region. As in previous years, we produced all the district heat needed in the Vaasa area during the summer of 2024. 

 Last year we produced 390 gigawatt-hours of district heat, which covers over 50 % of the total district heating demand in the Vaasa region.

From an energy production perspective, waste is a challenging raw material due to its composition of varying materials. Significant fluctuations in the composition of waste used for energy production make it more difficult to maintain stable process control and place strain on the plant’s equipment and flue gas treatment systems. However, in 2024, these challenges were successfully addressed through waste supply agreements made with our owner companies. These agreements have improved the quality and consistent quality of the waste delivered to us, which in turn has eased plant operations and power management. In addition, we have started receiving waste from other parts of Europe, particularly from regions where landfilling is still common. This has strengthened the availability of raw material and helps ensure that we can continue to utilise waste as efficiently as possible for energy production in the future. 

Cooperation with our owner companies, as well as the reception of waste from other parts of Europe, has improved the quality and availability of waste, which has eased plant operations and power management in energy production.

The operation of the Westenergy’s plant is managed by Maintenance Manager and a 15-person operations team. As for the maintenance team is responsible for the plant’s daily maintenance and repair tasks and responds to fault situations. The seamless cooperation between the production and maintenance teams has ensured that faults are detected and addressed at an early stage. As a result, the plant’s availability has remained at a high level, which has ensured stable energy production.

Maintenance enables high plant availability

In 2024, the plant’s usability rate remained at an excellent level: 95.5%.

The main goal of maintenance operations is to ensure that Westenergy’s waste-to-energy plant can operate around the clock for almost the entire year, except for a two-week annual service stop. In 2024, the usability rate of the plant was on a high level being 95.5 per cent. This excellent usability was largely due to preventive maintenance carried out according to plan and the expertise of skilled personnel familiar with the plant’s technology.

The high usability has been significantly supported by preventive maintenance carried out according to plan, and the expertise of skilled personnel familiar with the plant’s technology.

Westenergy’s maintenance team consists of a Maintenance Manager, electrical and automation mechanics, mechanical technicians, and a mechanical maintenance planner. In addition, the service networks of key equipment suppliers play an important supporting role in ensuring the plant’s smooth operation.

Preventive maintenance and maintenance planning have been particularly important in ensuring the continuous operation of the Westenergy’s plant. Last year, energy production was interrupted only for the two-week annual service stop. All the maintenance and repair work that can be carried out only when the plant is shut down, are done during the service stop.

As in previous years, the annual maintenance was scheduled for the spring, when heating demand – and thus district heat demand – is low. The main objectives of the annual maintenance are to carry out the necessary work efficiently and to return the plant to operation as quickly as possible. In addition to the company’s own maintenance and operational personnel, around 160 external professionals participated in last year’s annual service stop. This number was slightly higher than the previous year, enabling the efficient execution of an increased number of project tasks.

During the annual service stop, extensive maintenance activities were carried out – particularly on the grate, which is one of the largest recurring maintenance areas each year. For example, the boiler ash chain conveyors were serviced during the shutdown. New measures introduced during last years’ service stop included the commissioning of a cleaning unit for the turbine control oil system and enhancements to the material durability of components used in flue gas treatment.

A new maintenance management system was also implemented last year, improving both reporting and the documentation of maintenance work.

A new maintenance management system was also implemented last year, improving both reporting and the documentation of maintenance work. The new system improves the management of work lists, the planning of inspection and maintenance tasks, and the reporting of completed work. In addition, the work permit procedures have been developed into a digital format through a system upgrade.

In the coming year, the goal of the maintenance operation is to continue ensuring high plant usability through active condition monitoring and preventive maintenance. Westenergy’s waste-to-energy plant has been in operation since 2012, and naturally, the plant’s age must be increasingly considered in future maintenance planning to maintain a high level of operational reliability. One planned improvement is to convert the grate control to a continuous system, which will enhance the consistency of the waste incineration process and extend the durability of the equipment.

Recycling bottom ash and utilising the recovered mineral fraction helps conserve natural resources and promotes the circular economy.

The operation of Westenergy’s waste-to-energy plant generates bottom ash, which consists of ash and non-combustible materials such as metal. Larger metal objects are separated from the bottom ash at Westenergy’s plant and sent for recycling into new metal products. After the metal screening process, the remaining bottom ash is delivered for further processing as recycled material by our partner, Suomen Erityisjäte Oy.

In the further processing of bottom ash, sand- and gravel-like material, known as mineral fraction, is separated. This mineral fraction is suitable for use as a construction material, and it can be utilised, for example, in the production of concrete products and as a base material in infrastructure construction. At the same time, smaller remaining metal fragments are also separated and directed to recycling.

Recycling bottom ash and utilising the recovered mineral fraction helps conserve natural resources, as its use replaces virgin materials such as natural sand and gravel. Replacing virgin materials with recycled minerals also supports the European Union’s sustainable development goals and promotes the circular economy. Last year, approximately 19,360 tonnes of mineral fraction – separated from the bottom ash we supplied – was used as construction material. 

Recycling metals significantly reduces, among other things, carbon dioxide emissions, especially when compared to the production of primary metals, which requires the extraction and processing of natural raw materials such as ore – a process that consumes a large amount of energy and causes considerable emissions. This is why the recovery of valuable metals from bottom ash is so important. Recovered metals can be recycled into new materials such as steel, aluminium, copper, and zinc. Last year, 410 tonnes of larger metal objects were recycled directly from Westenergy’s plant alone. In total, 3,268 tonnes of metal fragments separated from Westenergy’s bottom ash were recycled into new metal products 

Bottom ash is processed in accordance with environmental permit requirements, and its utilisation is continuously developed.

Bottom ash is processed in accordance with environmental permit requirements, and its utilisation is continuously developed to support the circular economy. The use of bottom ash in various construction structures is currently an active area of research, aiming to provide authorities with sufficient information to facilitate its application in structural uses. In addition, ways to expand the utilisation of bottom ash are being explored to further replace virgin raw materials, which are more costly both economically and environmentally. It is also important to identify local applications, to ensure that long transport distances do not become a barrier to the efficient use of bottom ash.