Caverion is delivering a heat pump plant with a total heating capacity of more than 30 MW for the Finnish district heating company Loiste Lämpö. The new heat pump plant is in Kajaani, Finland, where waste heat generated by data centers will be recovered and utilized in the Kajaani district heating network.
Data centers are a good source of heat, as they produce stable thermal energy year-round, and this heat can be harnessed as part of district heating. The waste heat generated by the Kajaani data centers is expected to cover more than 80% of the annual district heating demand in the Kajaani region. Caverion doesn't mention specific companies, but both Borealis Data Center and CSC – IT Center for Science have data centers in Kajaani and agreements with Loiste Lämpö.
One of Finland’s largest heat pump plants utilizing waste heat from data centers
Industrial heat pumps are the most efficient way to raise waste heat to the temperature level required by the district heating network. The heat pump plant is based on climate-neutral hydrocarbon technology and is among the largest heat pump plants in Finland utilizing waste heat from data centers. Caverion has already participated in nine data center projects.
The heat pump plant is being planned and implemented in stages. The first kilowatts will be fed into the Kajaani district heating network in May 2026, when the plant’s first two modules, with a total capacity of 12 megawatts, are commissioned. The remaining three modules, with a total capacity of 18 megawatts, will be completed and commissioned during 2027. The total area of the phase one is about 600 square meters. The plant is scalable, so its total output can be further increased in line with the growth in available waste heat.
Reducing emissions
“Investing in a heat pump plant is a concrete step toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Waste heat from the data center, utilized through heat pumps, not only reduces emissions but also diversifies local heat production for the benefit of everyone. We chose a partner to design and implement the plant that, in addition to strong expertise, operates to high safety and quality standards,” says Marko Saviniemi, Head of Loiste’s Heat Business.
“We are very pleased that Loiste Lämpö chose us as its partner to ensure that waste heat from the data center is utilized for the benefit of residents in the Kajaani region. Energy infrastructure and smart energy solutions, such as the implementation of industrial heat pumps, are at the core of our company’s business,” says Kari Reunanen, Head of Industrial Energy and Refrigeration Business, Caverion Finland.
Restricting synthetic refrigerants
The annual waste heat potential of Finnish industry is estimated at about 16 terawatt-hours. Industrial heat pumps that use natural refrigerants are the most efficient way to raise waste heat to the temperature level required by district heating networks. The EU is making major progress in restricting the use of synthetic refrigerants. Caverion uses natural refrigerants in its heat pump plants, such as isobutane, propane and ammonia, which do not release carbon dioxide into the environment, even in the event of potential refrigerant leaks.
