Waste heat from SSAB Hämeenlinna to be used in district heating network

SSAB and energy company Loimua have agreed on the utilization of waste heat from SSAB Hämeenlinna (Finland) in the Hämeenlinna district heating network. Loimua will build a heating and cooling plant on SSAB's site. The plant will have a heating capacity of around 10 MW and produce approximately 70 GWh of district heat per year. This corresponds to the heating needs of approximately 3,000 single-family houses and covers around 15% of Hämeenlinna's heating needs.

Loimua has taken a decision on the investment, which is worth more than EUR 10 million. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has granted aid of around EUR 12.9 million for the project. The project supports the green transition goals of both companies.

The future solution will involve recovering heat from the cooling system at the Hämeenlinna Works. After a heat pump plant, the heat will be conducted to Loimua’s Vanaja power plant and fed into the district heating network. A district heating pipeline of just over 2.5 km will be built between SSAB's works and the power plant. Construction work will begin this year and the project is scheduled to complete in early 2026. During construction, the project will have an employment impact of around 20 full-time equivalents.

“We have long-term cooperation with Loimua and have already delivered small amounts of heat to the City of Hämeenlinna during the summer. There is great potential in utilizing industrial waste heat to heat society. Hämeenlinna has favorable conditions to do this since the distance between the works and the city is sufficiently short enough,” says Mikko Lepistö, Manager, Energy in Production Operations, at SSAB.

“We estimate the project will reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by around 8,750 tonnes. This will have a significant impact on the way to reaching our goal of fully carbon-neutral district heating by 2030. The project will additionally significantly improve the efficiency of energy production by increasing the share of heat produced without combustion. The aim is for waste heat to considerably reduce the use of, for example, forest chips, natural gas and milled peat,” says Mika Salo, COO at Loimua.

Loimua produces and sells district heat and sells natural gas to real estate customers, as well as comprehensive energy services to industry. In Hämeenlinna, Loimua heats the homes and properties of approximately 35,000 residents.

For further information, please contact:
Mikko Lepistö, Manager, Energy in Production Operations, SSAB, [email protected],
tel. +358 50 315 4385
Mika Salo, Loimua, COO, [email protected], tel. +358 50 598 8614