Long-term partnership with Nynas saves 2 million tons of CO2

Sometimes you have to take a step back to see how the collaboration gets results over time. When Adven took over responsibility in 2004, the company replaced the oil boilers with a biofuel boiler with higher efficiency. Through this, the refinery in Nynäshamn became the first oil refinery in the world mainly powered by biofuel. In addition, Adven built a new district heating network in the municipality, that made it possible to also recover waste heat from the refinery. The shift from fossil fuels has saved 2,000,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide for the energy system in total, a figure that corresponds to 5.5 percent of Sweden’s total emissions in 2022.

One of the challenges for the energy transition is that industries, aside from energy production, have their core business to focus on. This often means that energy optimization projects are put in the back seat. Adven’s Jonas Dyrke, who has been involved in the collaboration since the beginning, describes the energy partnership as a marriage, requiring trust, confidence, and constant care.

“I have been involved from the start, and I find it to be a very constructive collaboration where we have both given and taken. The spirit has been very positive, and it has developed both of us,” says Jonas Dyrke.

Peter Eriksson laughs and adds, “You have to think carefully about who you choose to marry. You have to invest some time and energy to make sure it is the right one.”

In 2018 Adven built a water treatment facility at the site, which boasts two significant advantages. It saves energy, approximately 20 GWh per year, equivalent to one-third of the entire heating demand of Nynäshamn’s district heating network. Additionally, the water purification process saves a considerable amount of water, around 112,000 cubic per year. Since the collaboration began, Nynas has also managed to halve its need for process water, leading to further significant water savings.

“The new water treatment facility saves approximately 112,000 cubic per year, equivalent to the annual water consumption of 600 houses,” Jonas Dyrke estimates.

The water treatment facility utilizes municipal tap water. However, tap water, the same water we drink, is not clean enough to be converted into steam. To purify the water, it needs to reach a temperature of 20 degrees, requiring an increase from the normal 7-8 degrees that water typically maintains in the pipelines. Previously, steam, along with chemicals and flushing water, was used to raise the water temperature.

“We realized that steam at 220 degrees was not necessary to raise the water from 7 to 20 degrees. The residual heat is more than sufficient for that,” explains Jonas Dyrke.

By changing the water treatment system and utilizing the residual heat already available at Nynas, they can use less flushing water. Additionally, Adven no longer needs to produce as much high-temperature steam.

The facility, supplying energy to both the refinery and the residents of Nynäshamn, is managed by Adven’s operational staff and monitored remotely 24/7. The control room maintains continuous communication with the refinery, and in addition, the companies hold regular steering group and development meetings. Operations are optimized daily based on Nynas’ steam requirements and the amount of residual heat generated by the refinery. The electricity price is also crucial, as the facility includes a steam turbine.

Read more: 

Preparing industries for the end of carbon emissions

Savings and revenue from side streams

Industrial Energy Partnerships