Hybrid renewable energy solution in Finland

• A 600 m² factory heated with solar collectors (total area 12 m²) and geothermal energy
• Surplus energy is sold to the grid

The largest production hall of a HVAC plant in Raisio, Finland is demonstrating best practices by using different forms of renewable energy in a hybrid heating and cooling system. It has six collectors placed at an angle of 45 degrees integrated with a geothermal system with a boiler of 700 litres capacity. On some days all heating energycomes from solar collectors; geothermal energy is not needed at all. The company plans to increase the number of collectors. In fact, both heating and cooling are carried out with the help of water circulating elements attached to the ceiling of the hall.

The company’s solar panels’ power output is 2 kW. The system is made up of eight panels of 250 W each. The solar electricity produced is mainly used onsite, with surplus electricity sold to the grid as single-phase current.

Key benefits

• The company is self-sufficient in heating and the heating costs have decreased remarkably
• The change of the heating system and the acquisition of panels required an investment of € 30 000 with an estimated seven-year payback time
• The annual return on investment is around 14 % and the savings € 4 300
• The reduction in CO2 emissions decreases the impact on the environment
• An extra bonus is a cooling system used during the summer
• Solar and geothermal energy are cheap and secure sources of energy