Collaboration and sustainable investments in Rakvere municipality continues

24th June 2024
News General District heating

Rakvere Soojus, which manages the local district heating network, and Adven have signed a new contract for the supply of heating services, which means Adven will continue to provide heating in the city of Rakvere until 2037.  

Adven has been the energy provider for Rakvere for over 20 years. The city, located in the northeastern part of Estonia, is known for its ancient history including the impressive Rakvere Castle with its medieval walls and rich history. Rakvere also showcases a beautiful old town filled with historical charm, colorful traditional wooden houses, and narrow cobblestone streets that make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. 

Adven operates a biofuel-based CHP plant, which is also the main boiler house supplying the city. To ensure efficient and environmentally friendly district heating for the residents of the region, Adven will invest 1.7 million euros in 2024 and 2025. 

“We started the negotiations with Adven, our current heat provider, as we are satisfied with the service.  However, we can see that the efficiency of district heating and the need to keep heating costs as low as possible should be increased. To reduce heat loss, we are ready to continue investing in the replacement of old, inefficient heat pipelines. Making the energy production as sustainable as possible is also of no small importance – modern technology constantly creates new opportunities for this”, Piret Vares, member of the management board of Rakvere Soojus, explains the city’s goals.

“The development of investment-intensive infrastructure requires a long-term view, and the new contract will allow faster innovations in heat production equipment”, Piret Vares adds.

New electromagnetic filter and flue gas condenser

Already this year, Adven is planning to equip the boiler house with an electromagnetic filter that cleans the smoke gases. The filter significantly reduces the particles in the flue gas, meaning heat can be produced in a more environmentally friendly way. The installation of the equipment will start during the summer.  

In 2025, Adven plans to install a 1.3-megawatt flue gas condenser at the Rakvere CHP plant. The higher capacity significantly increases the efficiency of boilers. 

“The condenser helps to extract heat from the flue gases going into the chimney, which is fed back into the heat network. The goal is to increase the efficiency of the plant and thus keep the price of heat as low as possible”, says Juhan Aguraiuja, Head of Adven’s Baltics Business. The boiler house supply with a condenser is financed by the Environmental Investment Center.

“Continuing our collaboration gives us the confidence to continue investing in ensuring the most efficient and environmentally friendly district heating possible, which is our strategic view at Adven. After the completion of both construction works, district heating in Rakvere will be cleaner and more efficient”, Juhan Aguraiuja adds.  

The district heating network of the city of Rakvere serves approximately 200 households. The main boiler house of the city is a biofuel-using cogeneration plant owned by Adven. Additional two gas boiler houses in the city belonging to Rakvere Soojus also help to cover the peak loads.