23.6.2026
Article originally published in 21.9.2023
Four air-to-water heat pumps provide district heating production for the Kynttilätie area in Riihimäki.
Modern heat pumps can produce very high temperatures and outputs. As a result, the applications and operating ranges of heat pumps are constantly expanding, improving opportunities for utilizing environmental or waste heat while reducing the need for primary energy and lowering emissions.
Riihimäen Kaukolämpö Oy is an energy company founded in 1978 that sells approximately 200 GWh of heat annually. The heat is primarily generated through waste processing, and fossil fuels account for less than 5% of production. Riihimäen Kaukolämpö serves customers in the Riihimäki area.
In the Kynttilätie area of Riihimäki, industrial customers are served by a district heating network, for which Finess Energy supplied four air-to-water heat pumps during 2022. Total annual sales in the area are approximately 2.8 GWh, and heat pumps will account for over 60% of this in the future. The annual reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from heat production is approximately 290 tons. The investment also supports sector integration by enabling the use of electricity in heat production.
Heat pumps are used to optimize the cost of heat from the district heating network by replacing the use of oil. In addition to four air-to-water heat pumps, Finess’s scope of delivery included a control system, storage tanks with electric heating elements, and commissioning. The heat pumps use carbon dioxide, a natural refrigerant that is affordable, safe, and highly environmentally friendly.
“For the user, an environmentally friendly refrigerant also means safety throughout the entire service life, with stable prices and availability,” comments Juha-Pekka Paavola, CEO of Finess Energy.
Kynttilätie’s air-source heat pumps handle district heating production. The existing boilers operate at the plants as backup and peak load systems. A key feature of the pumps is their ability to produce hot water even in severe cold with a high coefficient of performance.
Thanks to their evolving features and technologies, heat pumps are becoming increasingly viable and attractive solutions for energy management in many applications, as energy efficiency and environmental standards continue to tighten.