Porvoon Energia, a Finnish energy company serving over 35,000 district heating customers, is undertaking a substantial investment program to modernise its heating system. The initiative involves phasing out an old biomass CHP and implementing a new 12 MW heat pump. To address the system's growing complexity, Porvoon Energia has signed a 5-year agreement with Gradyent to develop a Digital Twin solution providing real-time optimisation and de-risking CAPEX investments, preparing the company for future integration of sustainable heating sources. 

Counting over 2,000 properties and c. 35,000 district heating customers, the Finnish energy company Porvoon Energia is realising a comprehensive investment program that aims to future-proof the heating system. 

To this end, the company is currently phasing out an old biomass CHP and implementing a new 12 MW heat pump, with plans to introduce more decentralised sources into the network. These changes will significantly increase the system complexity. This realisation led Porvoon Energia to believe that the existing solutions for scheduling the source dispatch, controlling the temperature and pressure in the heating grid, and monitoring user performance were insufficient. 

Porvoon Energia recognised Gradyent as the only provider of a Digital Twin solution capable of delivering live optimisation that would address the growing complexity of its network. The company signed a 5-year agreement with Gradyent to develop the Digital Twin of its network and deliver a wide range of benefits, from live optimisation to design simulations. 

“This project is an important step in the decarbonisation of the Porvoo network, where we strive to achieve a production portfolio with fewer fossil fuel-based sources. Gradyent's Digital Twin will help us to lower the forward temperature in the network and manage its increasing complexity in the future.” 

Oskar Tillander, District Heating Manager 

Real-time optimisation with a live Digital Twin 

By reducing the forward temperatures in the network, Porvoon Energia will unlock the full potential of the newly installed heat pump. Increasing the COP of the heat pump will lead to improved efficiency and eventually enable the network to operate with more sustainable sources that perform better at lower temperatures.  

Through its collaboration with Gradyent, the company is planning to run a fully live Digital Twin of its network by the summer of 2024. The Digital Twin will support the operations of its heating system throughout the next heating season in reducing the forward temperature of the two main CHPs in the Tolkinnen area and preparing for the heat pump integration.

De-risking CAPEX investments with Gradyent 

Porvoon Energia was also looking for a solution that would allow studying various what-if scenarios and design studies. On this front, Gradyent’s Digital Twin will allow studying multiple scenarios to check the technical feasibility of integrating the new heat pump into the network. This includes analysing the impact on the network hydraulics and arrival temperatures, as well as ensuring supply security in each scenario study. 

The analyses would eventually show the potential benefits of integrating the new heat pump into the network and other low-temperature sustainable sources in the future. 

“We’re proud to work with such an innovative company that is undergoing a deep and comprehensive transformation and support its mission of real-time end-to-end optimisation towards greater network efficiency.” 

Daniel Frank, Director Nordics & Baltics at Gradyent