Helsinki
Summary
Helsinki is one of the leading cities in the fight against climate change, with the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2035. The heating system is at the heart of the battle, as its emissions account for more than half of Helsinki’s total emissions. The City of Helsinki arranged the year-long international Helsinki Energy Challenge to find future-proof solutions to heat the city during decades to come. The results of the competition have now been announced.
An international jury has selected four winners from the ten finalists in the Helsinki Energy Challenge.
HIVE, a flexible plan, based on proven technologies and solutions, such as seawater heat pumps, electrical boilers, solar thermal fields and demand side management measures; the plan is capable of integrating new technologies if and when these emerge.
Beyond fossils, an energy transition model based on open and technology neutral clean heating auctions, paving up the path to carbon neutral Helsinki in a flexible and innovation enabling way.
Smart Salt City, a solution that melds a novel thermochemical energy storage and artificial intelligence with commercially available energy technologies.
Helsinki’s Hot Heart, a flexible system made of 10 floating reservoirs filled with 10 million cubic metres of hot seawater that can receive different energy sources as input. Four of the cylindrical tanks that make up Helsinki’s Hot Heart would be enclosed with inflatable roof structures to create a new leisure attraction.
The awarded proposals illustrate the diversity of the challenge and the diversity of approaches necessary to achieve a flexible and resilient system. The awarded teams have significant international competence.
“The energy sector is going through a remarkable revolution and we are faced with a systemic change on many different levels. We did not expect the competition to yield one solution, which solves the whole puzzle. Instead, we now have in our hands a very wide range of solutions, which will help not only Helsinki, but also other sustainable and innovative cities looking for heating solutions. At the same time, the one million euro Challenge is one way for Helsinki to participate beyond its own relative size in solving the global climate issue. Helsinki stands out as an internationally networked pioneer in the local implementation of global responsibility. Helsinki is committed to sharing the solutions of the competition and learning with all cities”, says Helsinki Mayor Jan Vapaavuori.
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