S-Group’s groceries logistics center in Sipoo – sustainable hybrid energy concept

Adven produces the energy needed by the centre through a hybrid energy solution that combines bio- and geoenergy, cold production and heat recovery. According to S-Group, the turnkey service has proven to be a good solution.

The construction of the logistics centre will take place in five stages. The energy production solution will thus also be built up gradually and expanded phase by phase.

The design resulted in a system where geoenergy sourced from geowells, i.e. geothermal heat, and the condensation energy from cooling equipment cover as much of the need for low-temperature thermal energy as possible. A heating system fueled by pellets, in turn, will ensure capacity when the need for heating increases in winter and oil will serve as a backup fuel in the higher temperature heating network.

“We transfer the geoenergy from the geowells on the property and the energy captured from the cold rooms’ condensation to the low-temperature thermal heat network. We combined Adven’s expertise in cooling and heating production with the customer’s geowells and thus, by integrating separate systems, we were able to achieve a very interesting hybrid solution for the area’s energy production,” explains Adven’s Key Account Director Heikki Aarrejoki.

Over 30 % of all grocery and consumer products in Finland pass through the centre. It has been clear from the start that the building also has very precise cooling energy needs. The centre has rooms that are +5, –9 and –40 °C, for instance.

“It is my job to increase the efficiency and rationalise the energy use of the entire logistics centre, taking into account the storage requirements of the products. We have been able to agree with Adven on smart approaches where we always use a cost-effective and environmentally friendly form of energy,” says S-Group’s Energy Manager Miika Kakko.

For example, the logistics centre’s heating solution is based on using the energy flow created in the cooling production as efficiently as possible in heating. As much as 43% of the condensation energy of the cooling plant can be utilised.

“Adven has been happy to receive any suggestions for improvements and we have cultivated them further together,” says Kakko.

“We offer operation and maintenance services for plants as part of our ‘Energy as a service’ model. Cooling and heating production and the 24/7 remote monitoring of energy plants are our areas of responsibility, as is operating the geowells,” Aarrejoki adds.

S-Group also sees purchasing energy as a service as a positive thing.

“With such a large set-up, we are happy to have the professionals take care of it. It’s one less worry for us to be able to buy energy as a service and trust in Adven’s expertise,” Kakko concludes.

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