Hafslund Varme is Norway’s largest supplier of district heating and is responsible for around a third of all district heating generated in Norway. The company is also a significant player within production of steam for industry in Sarpsborg and Fredrikstad. The merger between Hafslund Fjernvarme and Hafslund Miljøenergi reinforces the Group’s specialist expertise by leveraging synergies and pooling unique expertise.
More types of fuel
The company uses heat purchased from the City of Oslo’s waste incineration plants for around a third of its district heating production. It also uses energy from its own bioenergy- and heat-pump-based plants. Peak load requirements are covered using heat generated from electric boilers, LNG and oil-fired boilers. The main production plants are located at Klemetsrud and Haraldrud.
Industrial steam is produced at the company’s two plants in Østfold, using waste-based fuel. Bio-El Fredrikstad, which is operated by FREVAR, produces district heating, industrial steam and electricity, while BWtE delivers steam to Borregaard’s industrial plants in Sarpsborg.
District heating customers in greater Oslo
In 2011 Hafslund Varme distributed around 1.7 TWh of heat for heating and hot water for commercial and public buildings, local housing cooperatives and individual homes in the Oslo region. More than 4,200 customers in blocks of flats, row houses or commercial premises are connected to Hafslund’s district heating grid.
Hafslund Fjernvarme produces and delivers district heating to Oslo Gardermoen Airport and the surrounding areas. Heat is also delivered to Kolbotn centre and Mastermyr Business Park. New customers with a total requirement of 71 GWh were connected to the district heating grid in 2011. This corresponds to the heating and hot water requirements of around 5,000 homes.
Cleaner air in Oslo
District heating is the most environmentally friendly way to heat Oslo, as it utilises surplus heat from sewage and the combustion of waste, cardboard, paper and wood. These are resources that would otherwise go to waste. In many cases district heating is replacing heat generated from old oil-fired boilers. Measurements show that some high chimneys with stringent cleaning requirements emit significantly less local pollution than many lower emission points. Increasing the share of district heating reduces dust and CO2 emissions, thereby improving air quality. District heating can play an important role in helping to achieve the City of Oslo’s ambitious environmental and air quality targets.
New heating centres
In 2011 extensive work was performed to establish Rodeløkka heating centre, a peak load centre in the district heating grid adapted for bio-oil, but which can also easily be operated using light fuel oil. The heating centre will secure power in the grid and have a maximum power of 100 MW. At the end of the year the plant was almost completed.
Hafslund Varme is establishing a 56 MW bio-based boiler at Haraldrud to replace a 20 MW oil boiler. The new boiler will use pellets that can be ground into powder and used as fuel. This is the first boiler of this type of such a size in Norway. The pellets requirement will be around 40,000 tonnes, which is estimated to equate to more than a third of total current pellets consumption in Norway. The boiler will enter operation in winter 2013.
Focus shift
After several years of major construction activities Hafslund Varme has switched from concentrating on construction of the district heating grid to an increased focus on optimal operations. Particular focus areas include achieving reduced incoming and return temperatures in the district heating grid in order to ensure lower heat losses in the grid, and an increase in transfer capacity. Work will also be performed on optimal use of fuels in heat production.
