Situated in the Marjamäki industry area in the municipality of Lempäälä in Finland, it supplies 12 MW of electricity to around 300 businesses within its industrial energy community. The PV (photovoltaic) system forms part of the smart grid network to deliver self-sufficiency for businesses in the area.
Finland’s PV growth has accelerated in the last few years to more than 50 percent within one year, as the Finnish state releases funds and investment subsidies for renewable energy projects including solar power.
The ‘first of its kind’ project is part of a wider drive by the Finnish government to increase the use of renewable energy by 50 percent, and self-sufficiency to more than 55 percent. It was also one of 11 projects to receive funding from the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment - 4.74 million euros – and enables businesses to actively participate in the energy market, with the community able to sell surplus energy back to the grid.
As one of the largest solar PV fields in Finland, the Lemene Project has an annual output of 3,600 MWh, which corresponds to the electricity consumption of a total of 1,620 apartment building flats.
The Lemene project is focused on attracting energy intensive industries in a bid to reduce carbon emissions and enable industries to access different forms of renewable energy. Based on the power production within the first half of 2020, the solar plant is expected to achieve a CO2 reduction of approximately 3,500 tons per annum.
Working in partnership with solar installers Solarigo and Kiwatti, the customer, Lempäälän Energia, will benefit from FIMER’s PVS980-58 central inverters that were specified as part of the PV installation.
Suited to larger PV sites, the PVS980-58 provides a compact, high-performance solution within a dual layer aluminum and stainless-steel enclosure that can withstand Finland’s harsh ambient conditions and freezing winter temperatures.
Fimer’s central inverter technology is crucial in enabling Lempäälän Energia’s customers to access cost effective energy supply and provide high energy yields and efficiency in both on-grid and off grid modes for ultimate energy independence. The PVS980-58 inverter also features a proven self-contained cooling system. This innovative, low-maintenance cooling solution is designed for demanding applications and harsh environments, cutting maintenance costs and ensuring outstanding endurance.
“This is a highly innovative and prestigious project, with ambitious targets for greater decentralization and energy self-sufficiency within Finland” said Filippo Carzaniga, Chairman of the Board of Fimer. “A key priority for us was to ensure that the technology could consistently perform and work in synergy with other renewable sources, withstanding the varied weather conditions in Finland without compromising on the yield. As the first installation of this product in Finland, FIMER is proud to be part of such a pioneering project.”
Kai-Kristian Koskinen, Head of Electrical Business, Lempäälän Energia, added that following the success of the project, the company is now looking at how it can extract heat from the solar system for co-generation and that it is also investing further in a 1MW solar plant over the next five years.
With simple and fast commissioning, the plant is generating 35 percent of its energy from solar. Fimer will be extending its support to onsite engineers with a robust training program on preventative maintenance.
As part of its commitment to deliver a new era in Solar, Fimer is investing in R&D to deliver durable solar technologies and solutions. This year the company will open its new multimillion-dollar Helsinki based development facilities with significant laboratory upgrades. The facilities and its team support testing and verification of its portfolio of inverters for safe operation and endurance across a wide range of climatic conditions, including the compatibility to grid codes, as well as testing and measuring harmonics and grid interactions.
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