German Firm to Build World’s Largest Heat Pump in Helsinki for District Heating
Finland: Finland is taking a significant step towards its 2030 climate neutrality goal with the installation of the world’s largest air-to-water heat pump in Helsinki, set to be operational by 2026. The German company MAN Energy Solutions will supply the 33 MW heat pump, which will be used by the utility company Helen Oy to decarbonize its district heating power plant. The heat pump will use CO2 as a refrigerant, which is more climate-friendly compared to alternatives being phased out by the EU. The system will also include two 50 MW boilers that can operate in temperatures as low as -20 °C, saving 56 tonnes of CO2 per year. Initial concerns about Helsinki relying on wood-burning for clean heating were alleviated after a 2021 contest ruled out biomass as a solution. Finland is a leader in the EU for adopting smaller heat pumps, with nearly 1.5 million devices already installed in homes across the country.
Source: Euractiv