The port of Värtan, Stockholm, finished work on a new biomass cogeneration plant last month.

The plant, which is due to start production in the autumn, is expected to use wood waste and forest residues, at a rate of up to 12,000 cubic metres per day, to provide heat for nearly 200 000 homes.

The company Fortum Värme, owned by Fortum and the City of Stockholm, is the driving force behind the project. The director of Fortum Värme, Anders Egelrud, commented on the news, saying:
“After a long process, we have just inaugurated one of the largest biomass cogeneration plants in the world. This is an important step towards a sustainable energy system in Stockholm and Europe.”

For his part, the CEO of Fortum, Pekka Lundmark, added:

“The rate of emission of heating, electricity and cooling production systems is a recurring problem for urban areas, as well as their low performance. With the city of Stockholm, we are moving towards a circular economy using biomass, waste and waste heat in data centre energy production.
Biomass is a renewable, local and carbon neutral energy source. Its use continues to extend more and more […] particularly in Northern Europe, and it is a cornerstone for building an economy and a renewable energy system.”

The project, which was launched in 2013, will cost around € 500 million, according to Fortum, and is expected to help reduce emissions in the Stockholm urban area by about 126 000 tonnes per year.