Largest boiler house is being built for the Estonian food industry

20th February 2023
News Food & Beverage

Adven is building a modern renewable energy plant for E-Piim’s new dairy factory in Paide. Once commissioned it will be the largest boiler house in Estonian food industry where 45 tons of steam per hour can be delivered to produce cheese and whey powder.

The boiler house is mainly fueled with wood chips by local forestry and wood industry companies. To ensure a consistent energy supply, reserve fuels, such as natural gas, LPG and light fuel oil are used at times of peak loads.

“In the current energy market, it is crucial to create capabilities for the use of different fuels. Especially, when energy consumption fluctuates a lot as it tends to be in dairy industries, where milk processing is very demanding. Wood chips as the main fuel will keep CO2 emissions to a minimum, and fossil fuels will be used for peak loads or while maintenance work is carried out”, says Priit Tiit, Adven Estonia’s Project Director.

“We work together with the client to develop the best technical solution for their production needs and keeping long-term perspective in mind”.

Fully automated boiler house

This modern boiler house running on renewable energy will be fully automated. With the help of technology, 24/7 remote control carries out most of the processes from the receipt of wood chips to the operation and control of the equipment remotely via the control center of Adven Estonia.

“However, to ensure safety, the operator visits the site regularly,” adds Tiit.

The 35-megawatt (MW) capacity of the boiler house serving dairy industry is more than twice the capacity that is needed to supply the city of Paide district heating network. The construction of the boiler house began in summer 2022. In the end of 2022, the biofuel furnace with steam boilers, and two gas and light fuel oil boilers were installed.

“Two separate boilers will be installed on top of the biomass furnace which is a customized solution in case of high capacities. A 20t/h steam boiler as one piece would be very difficult and expensive to transport,” explains Tiit.

Collaboration that has lasted over two decades

Adven and E-piim have 20 years of collaboration. Adven produces energy for E-piim factory in Põltsamaa, where Adven’s bio boiler house produces heat and steam for the production and for the local district heating.

“We trust the experience and reliability of the long-term partnership we have”, says Jaanus Murakas, E-Piim’s Head of Production. “There were several strong bidders in the tender for the purchase of the service, but the conditions in Adven’s offer were clearly the best. We are satisfied and confident that they will be able to secure the energy supply for us.”

E-Piim is establishing a new greenfield dairy plant in Paide, where cheese and whey powder will be produced and jobs will be created for 100 people. This is the largest investment in the food industry in Estonia in recent years.

The new boiler house in brief:

  • A 35-megawatt boiler house can produce 45 tons of steam per hour
  • Largest boiler house to supply the Estonian food industry
  • Main fuel wood chips from local forestry and wood industry companies
  • Fully automatic boiler house, operated remotely from the control center of Adven Estonia
  • Commissioning in autumn, 2023

We trust the experience and reliability of the long-term partnership we have.

Jaanus Murakas
E-Piim’s Head of Production

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