A new AmbiHeat plant by Calefa has entered the construction phase at Neve Oy's wastewater treatment plant in Rovaniemi, Finland. All the six modules of the modular-designed plant were transported north last week.
The AmbiHeat heat pump plant arrived at its destination at the Alakorkalo wastewater treatment facility in Rovaniemi just in time for World Water Day, which is celebrated on Saturday, March 22. This year’s theme focuses on glacier protection, and highlights for example carbon neutrality in water management.
The plant converts excess heat from wastewater into district heating with the help of nine heat pumps. Satu Pekkala, Director of Water Business at Neve, explains that the heat pump plant, currently under construction, will produce sufficient heat for both the wastewater treatment plant’s operations and local residents.
“A new European wastewater directive is being incorporated into Finnish legislation as we speak, setting requirements for the energy neutrality of wastewater treatment plants. With the plant supplied by Calefa, we are a step ahead.”
AmbiHeat Plant Puts the City of Rovaniemi Ahead in Energy Neutrality
In addition to aligning with the new directive being integrated into national legislation, the AmbiHeat heat pump plant will also contribute to the city of Rovaniemi’s carbon neutrality efforts.
“We have recently completed an extensive strategic review at Neve, and promoting a carbon-neutral Rovaniemi is a key driver in our plans,” says Pekkala.
The AmbiHeat heat pump plant fits perfectly into Neve’s recently published strategy for 2025–2030, as the project integrates waste heat from the wastewater treatment plant into the city’s energy production profile.
This will enable the production of up to 40 gigawatt-hours of heat annually — enough to meet the needs of approximately 2,000 detached homes in Rovaniemi. At the same time, the reduced reliance on combustion-based heating production will help cut carbon dioxide emissions.
Neve to Recover Heat from Wastewater by Summer 2025
The AmbiHeat plant will be operational by summer 2025.
According to Calefa’s project manager Mikko Rantanen, the next six weeks will be the busiest period of the construction phase.
“As project managers, we usually oversee the delivery phase of the plant to ensure a smooth transition into the construction phase. This week, I had the opportunity to be on-site in Rovaniemi,” he says.
Satu Pekkala from Neve adds that the preparations at the Alakorkalo wastewater treatment plant, which took place before the heat pump plant’s arrival, have gone smoothly — despite multiple projects being carried out simultaneously.
Both Rantanen and Pekkala are looking forward to the next phase of the AmbiHeat project in Rovaniemi with optimism.
“It’s great to advance the climate goals of energy production and water management together,” says Pekkala.
The excess heat generated from wastewater treatment plants is an important resource for Finnish district heating production. Neve has received funding from the Finnish Ministry of the Environment for the AmbiHeat heat pump plant.
