Sweden’s Largest Biofuel Heat and Power Plant Is Fossil-Free Energy Hot Spot | News - Smart City Sweden (2024)

Värtahamnen harbour is home to Stockholm’s largest biofuel-powered combined heat and power (CHP) plant. The plant produces enough energy to heat approximately 190,000 average-size apartments.

The combined heat and power plant at Värtahamnen, also known as or KVV8, was inaugurated in 2016 and produces heat and electricity through the combustion of solid biomass, consisting mainly of residuals from the forest product industry such as chips, branches and tops.

The CHP plant has the capacity to produce 1,700 GWh of heat and 750 GWh of electricity a year, which is enough to heat around 190,000 average-size apartments and charge 150,000 electric cars. The renewable energy produced at Värtaverket helps reduce the need for fossil power production in the Nordic countries and Europe. The plant is owned by Stockholm Exergi, which in turn is co-owned by Fortum and the City of Stockholm.

126,000 tonne reduction in CO2

The CHP plant involves the comprehensive modernisation of Stockholm’s district heating supply and will help cut CO2 emissions in Stockholm by an estimated 126,000 tonnes annually. The facility makes a significant contribution to the City of Stockholm meeting its climate objectives and marks an important step in the development of sustainable energy supply in Stockholm and Europe. What’s more, Värtaverket has its own port, which means the biomass used at the facility can largely be delivered in a sustainable way by train or boat.

Cutting-edge facility

Sweden has a long tradition and extensive experience of district heating, which was introduced as early as the 1950s and led to a significant reduction in soot, sulphur and nitrogen oxides in the air. The continued development has made Värtaverket a unique cutting-edge facility, supplying fossil-free electricity and heat for Stockholm residents. The shift to fossil-free fuel and continual environmental measures at Värtaverket help ensure air in the Swedish capital is among the cleanest of any city in the world.

Bioenergy CCS project

Värtaverket is also a centre for the innovation and testing of new solutions to further reduce emissions and climate impact. One interesting project currently underway is bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS), which helps reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and contributes to negative CO2 emissions. You can read more about this in the article Bioenergy Plant Is Among World’s First to Use Carbon Capture and Storage.