Greener Backup Power – kW-set switches to renewable HVO diesel
Greener Backup Power - kW-set switches to renewable HVO diesel
kW-set now uses renewable and low-emission HVO diesel in all its rental generators, vehicles, and transport fleet. This transition reduces emissions from rental backup power usage, maintenance operations, and logistics by approximately 90%.
In October, we made a significant commitment to sustainability by transitioning all our rental backup power generators to run on Neste MY Renewable Diesel™. Moving forward, our service vehicles and backup power transport fleet will also operate on renewable HVO diesel.
What are the key benefits for the environment and backup power users?
Choosing HVO diesel (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) is a major climate action. This renewable fuel significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 90% compared to fossil diesel.
HVO diesel is compatible with both new and existing backup power generators without requiring any technical modifications. All kW-set-supplied diesel generators operate just as efficiently on HVO diesel as they do on fossil diesel. Due to the similar chemical composition of both fuels, they can even be used together.
HVO diesel offers cold resistance down to -32°C, almost as good as traditional diesel (-38°C). Additionally, HVO maintains fuel quality better in cold storage, as it does not accumulate water that could degrade its performance. Maintenance requirements remain the same, and HVO diesel does not require additional servicing – in fact, fuel-related maintenance needs may even decrease.
Neste MY Renewable Diesel™ – Key Features
- Compatible with all diesel generators
- Produced 100% from food industry residues and waste materials
- Based on Neste’s proprietary NEXBTL technology (hydrotreatment)
- Reduces greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 90%
- Lowers local emissions, such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides, depending on the engine and operating conditions
- Cleaner combustion reduces engine wear
- Contains no fossil raw materials or biodiesel components (e.g., FAME or RME)
- Cold resistance: Summer grade -10°C, winter grade -32°C
- Meets the EN 15940 standard
Olympic Stadium
Helsinki Olympic Stadium
kW-set updated the electrification of the Olympic Stadium to 2020 standards with a standby generator
The monumental Olympic Stadium of Helsinki was renovated and got a major improvement between the years 2016 and 2020. A modern sports and entertainment arena needs to have a working electrical system at all times. A part of the electrical improvement included an acquisition of a standby generator. The standby generator was delivered to the Olympic Stadium by kW-set.
Ilkka Rautakivi, the property and safety manager, says that “Before the renovation, they had only been using the national energy grid at the Stadium, so the planning started from scratch. Now the electricity is secured from two directions, the national grid and on top of that a massive 1250 kWA standby generator, which was installed by kW-set.”
These days, both UEFA and FIFA recommend that all event venues should have a standby generator. If something happens with the electrical power network, the emergency power source gives one the security that all the critical systems can be used under all circumstances. The alternative power source makes preparing for normal events much easier and less arduous.
The emergency power source project for the Olympic Stadium was a collaboration between four parties: a planner, Assemblin Oy, kW-set and the Olympic Stadium Foundation. Assemblin took care of the competitive tendering and the contract work whereas kW-set was giving expertise and managed the installation of the generator.
Assemblin is a company that works with building services engineering, that was in charge of the electrical contract work for the Olympic Stadium.
The user and the planner had already in the beginning defined what was needed and where the standby generator was supposed to be installed. That’s why they decided to take in the expertise from kW-set, who then delivered the product as turnkey.
“In advance, before the acquisition was made, I was really scared of the fact that a device bigger than a delivery van was supposed to fit into the basement of the Stadium! On top of that, I was worrying about how we would get the whole facility to work. The whole facility needed a lot of different systems and commands. In the blink of an eye kW-set solved all of our issues. The project started immediately, once the deal was made.” says Roope Mutenia, the project manager of electric contract work at Assemblin Oy.
“The installation went well, and the enormous machine fitted perfectly. The employees at kW-set really knew what they were doing!”
The stadium has five main fuse boxes for the alternative power source. The standby generator serves all of the fuse boxes, which means that electricity can be supplied regionally inside the Stadium. Furthermore, if the electricity supplier’s electrical power system crashes, the standby generator turns on.
“It looked quite bad when the generator was dragged into the basement. The boys from kW-set measured the whole route before the floor was built, but even with the measures made, it really looked like it wouldn’t fit. Nevertheless, the installation went well, and the enormous machine fitted perfectly. The employees at kW-set really knew what they were doing!” says Roope Mutenia from Assemblin.
Ilkka Rautakivi continues, “A massive standby generator is indeed startling. It was a pleasant surprise that the diesel tanks were bigger than expected. Also, the muffler is so efficient that you can only notice that it’s on from the smoke.”.
“The process was way easier than thought. KW-set took care of the project independently and we didn’t have to get involved at all. In a huge project like this, that had dozens of subcontractors, one of the vital conditions was that the whole generator project needed to be a turnkey project. I would recommend kW-set for demanding projects. The collaboration, the scheduling, and the implementation all worked perfectly. “ says Roope Mutenia happily.
“The collaboration between the four parties worked exceptionally well. The service from kW-set met the expectations, and it actually surprised me how smoothly a tough project like this could go. The training was also necessary. It was very important that the staff at the Stadium learned how to prepare for maintenance and test drives, so that the apparatus can remain intact.”
Ilkka Rautakivi
Property and safety manager
Olympic Stadium
“The process was way easier than thought. KW-set took care of the project independently and we didn’t have to get involved at all. In a huge project like this, that had dozens of subcontractors, one of the vital conditions was that the whole generator project needed to be a turnkey project. I would recommend kW-set for demanding projects. The collaboration, the scheduling, and the implementation all worked perfectly. “
Roope Mutenia
Project manager
Assemblin Oy
Fingrid
Fingrid
Fingrid secures the operations of gas turbine plants with emergency power
Background
Fingrid is a Finnish public limited liability company responsible for the electricity transmission in the high-voltage transmission system in Finland. The nationwide transmission grid is a central part of Finland’s electrical supply system, and approximately 75 per cent of all electricity consumed in Finland is transmitted through it. The transmission grid is the high-voltage trunk network to which large power plants and factories as well as regional distribution networks are connected.
Solution
Regulations obligate Fingrid to be capable of serving its customer 24/7. Fingrid wanted to secure the operating capacity of its own gas turbine plants with a Manual Frequency Restoration Reserve in disturbances by means of emergency power. Fingrid wanted a compact solution which is easy to transport and test and can be deployed quickly.
Outcome
In competitive tendering, Fingrid selected kW-Set as its emergency power partner. The level of the design service, technical quality, pricing and corporate responsibility of the solution met Fingrid’s requirements. One of the most important selection criteria was the possibility to integrate the emergency power unit with the facility’s electrical supply network.
Fingrid
Fingrid is responsible for planning and monitoring of the use of the trunk network as well as network maintenance and development. In addition, the company participates in the activities of the European Network of Transmission System Operators (ENTSO-E), preparation of market and access codes, and grid design.
For its contract customers, in other words electricity providers, grid companies and industry, Fingrid offers trunk network, cross-border transmission and imbalance power services. Fingrid serves the electricity market by ensuring sufficient electricity transmission capacity, eliminating cross-border transmission restrictions between countries and providing information on the markets. Fingrid employs more than 330 people.
“The level of the design service, technical quality, pricing and corporate responsibility offered by kW-Set met our requirements.”
Jarmo Hämäläinen,
Project Manager,
Fingrid Oyj
Customer benefits
- Level of the design service
- Technical quality of the units
- Short delivery time
- Possibility to integrate with the electricity distribution network
- 24/7 on-call and maintenance services
Other customer cases
Caruna
Caruna
Emergency power units secure the operations of Caruna’s dispatch centre in all situations
Background
Caruna Oy is a Finnish electricity distribution company. It was established when Fortum divested its electricity transmission operations in Finland. An emergency power solution was installed in Caruna’s new headquarters, completed in 2015, for possible power outages.
Solution
The objective was to be able to serve customers in all situations, including major disturbances, and that is why it was essential to secure Caruna’s own operations as well.
The emergency power units secure the operations of the dispatch centre 24/7, also when there is a power outage in the grid or in other emergencies or major disturbances.
Caruna opted for a turnkey delivery of the emergency power solution.
Outcome
In competitive tendering, kW-Set met Caruna’s criteria and was selected as the provider. The selection was supported by kW-Set’s turnkey delivery model, delivery of best value for the money, delivery time and maintenance in the operating stage. The compact size of the emergency power unit, its emergency runtime and power rating also played an important role.
Caruna
Caruna provides electricity transmission services for more than 670,000 customers in Finland. Caruna is Finland’s largest company focusing on electricity transmission, with a market share of approximately 20% of the local electricity transmission in Finland. The company has approximately 280 employees and it directly employs a total of 2,000 people in different parts of Finland.
“kW-Set offered us a comprehensive package that met our expectations. We liked the compact size of the emergency power unit, its emergency runtime and power rating. The on-call and maintenance services also played an important role.”
Kimmo Vainiola,
Dispatch Centre Manager
Caruna Oy
Customer benefits
- Best value for the money as a turnkey service
- Design services – a jointly designed solution
- Compact size of the emergency power unit
- Duration of emergency runtime and power rating
- Delivery schedule
- 24/7 on-call and maintenance services
Other customer cases
Fortum
Fortum
Regular maintenance for reliable emergency power in Fortum’s district cooling units in Espoo
Reliable operations of server rooms and data centres require effective cooling. Fortum provides district cooling services in Espoo, among others. Uninterrupted operation of the cooling units is secured by means of emergency power units supplied and maintained by kW-Set.
Pertti Strömmer, project manager at Fortum Power and Heat Oy, has participated in the development of the district cooling units in Tapiola and Espoonlahti, among others. Reliable operations of server rooms and data centres require effective cooling. Today, cooling can also be outsourced; in other words, the cooling energy is produced elsewhere and delivered to the facility through a pipeline, just like district heating.
Ecological district cooling also produces heat
Fortum’s cooling units in the Kivenlahti and Tapiola districts in Espoo provide the cooling energy needed in the nearby server rooms. The cooling units use Fortum’s energy-saving solution that considerably reduces carbon dioxide emissions and has received an innovation award*. The waste heat generated in the cooling process is fed into the district heating network. The heat emitted by the servers and the waste heat from the entire cooling plant are recovered and used in the district heating network. One server room generates 30 GWh of heat into the district heating network annually. This reduces the annual carbon dioxide emissions by 10,000 tonnes.
*) The winner of Fortum’s Innovation Award 2010: Emergency capacity and cooling, Ilkka Niiranen, Esa Mörsky and Pertti Strömmer
Cooling must be uninterrupted
In case of disturbances in electricity distribution, the operations of Fortum’s cooling units have been secured with Cummins emergency power units supplied by kW-Set. The sites apply the N+1 principle and have three 1400 kVA units, synchronised with the grid, in each. These units will start up to ensure uninterrupted cooling in the case of a power outage or a fault of current in the continuous electricity supply.
Regular maintenance ensures the operation of emergency power units
“The emergency power units are fairly new – they have been installed and commissioned in stages since 2010. Since the emergency power units must be 100% reliable, their operating capability is ensured by means of regular maintenance and test runs.
Investing in a regular care of the units is a minor inconvenience and a minimal expense, compared to potentially having a non-functioning unit when emergency power is needed. We carry out the monthly test runs at the sites ourselves. The test runs last from 30 minutes to one hour and can be carried out with the maximum load, since the energy generated is fed into the national grid.
kW-Set has been in charge of carrying out the annual maintenance and providing reports on it. I am extremely happy about how reliably maintenance works. kW-Set contacts us when the annual maintenance is approaching and together we set up the date for the maintenance session. This is how good and active service is provided. It makes my work easier and enables us to outsource our maintenance operations in the first place. In addition, the maintenance personnel is highly skilled and performs work in a timely manner.
We receive extensive reports on the maintenance procedures and they can be used in a number of ways, for example, in customer certification or compliance with the requirements of the authorities,” says Markus Karevaara, manager of the maintenance group at Fortum Power and Heat Oy’s Separate production unit in Espoo.
Other customer cases
Nurmijärven Sähkö
Nurmijärven Sähkö
Nurmijärven Sähkö relies on emergency power during maintenance outages and failures
Nurmijärven Sähköverkko Oy’s mission is to transmit high-quality electricity for customers in the grid area it is responsible for, in all situations and in an economical manner. In addition to electricity transmission, the company’s services include electricity connections, metering services and management of imbalance power.
Nurmijärven Sähköverkko Oy is also in charge of designing and building the grid in its area, taking environmental matters into consideration. An essential aspect of the operations is also the planning of operation and maintenance and the procurement of these services. Nurmijärven Sähköverkko Oy is part of the Nurmijärven Sähkö Group, which has nearly 24,000 electricity supply and heating customers.
Quick and reliable access to rental units
– Nurmijärven Sähköverkko Oy has been kW-Set’s customer for more than ten years. We have always received help when we needed it, and at times help was needed with a short notice. This was an important criterion when selecting the supplier. When there is a fault in a distribution substation, the distribution of electricity must still be restored as quickly as possible, says Timo Ukkola, grid technician at Nurmijärven Sähköverkko Oy.
Expecting – and receiving – good service
– Fault situations force us to rent emergency power solutions, but luckily this happens only occasionally. Nevertheless, it is very important that we can trust that suitable emergency power is available should we need it. I remember how a few years ago, there was a fault in a transformer and we had to send a request for emergency power late in the evening. The units arrived and were also in operation during the same night. This is one of the benefits of a long customer relationship – you have the right to expect good service and you also receive it.
Successful maintenance through emergency power unit rental
– We mostly need emergency power when we carry out maintenance work on the grid that requires interruption in electricity distribution. This happens once per month or two months, on average. The emergency power units, including cables, are only a phone call away and are usually delivered to the agreed location on the day before the equipment is needed. We can usually complete the maintenance work within one working day, so we one-day rentals are usually enough. Of course, in fault situations emergency power may be needed for longer periods, but even then a maximum of one week.
Always an optimal capacity through rental
– Since we need emergency power occasionally and on a temporary basis, it makes sense to rent the units, instead of purchasing them. kW-Set’s units are in a good condition and reliable – the company clearly takes good care of its equipment. There is always a suitable solution to meet our need in the company’s extensive selection of power options. For example, transformers in rural areas may only serve a few houses, which is why the capacity of the emergency power unit can also be lower. On the other hand, Nurmijärvi has several more densely populated areas where we may need the most effective units available in the range of rental units.
All in all, in my opinion kW-Set offers a solid package of products and services, keeps its promises and delivers on time, Ukkola says.
Other customer cases
Modernisation
Modernisation
Modernisation of the emergency power unit’s automation
Baseline
The site has prepared for power outages with a system of several emergency power units. The old system was implemented by means of the reliable Cummins emergency power units, and automation was provided by means of relay technology, as was customary at the time.
As the building automation was renewed, it became necessary to retrieve all information from the emergency power system through up-to-date data transmission channels. The automation system needed an overhaul otherwise as well to ensure uncompromised operating reliability. The existing Cummins emergency power units were found to be reliable and there was no need to replace them.
Modernised system
We carried out the modernisation of the automation system of four units. Power outages and excessive weakening of operating reliability were not an option, which created a challenge in the project implementation. The new system is based on the Comap automation system. By users’ request, the control cabinet has been supplemented by a few local meters.
Other customer cases
The Hospital District of South Ostrobothnia
The Hospital District of South Ostrobothnia
Emergency power solution for a hospital providing demanding specialist emergency services
Background
The mission of the Hospital District of South Ostrobothnia is to promote the health of the district’s population in cooperation with the basic health care and social services by taking care of the special obligations assigned to the hospital district and by providing specialised health care services for the region’s population.
The Seinäjoki Central Hospital deployed a new emergency power solution in May 2018 to secure the hospital’s operations in case of power outages.
Solution
The growth and expansion of the Seinäjoki Central Hospital generated a need for a more effective emergency power solution, which has sufficient capacity to secure the demanding specialist emergency services provided by the hospital.
The emergency power solution selected for the Seinäjoki Central Hospital was DRUPS. The system offers fully uninterrupted emergency power and replaces the traditional UPS solution. The system contains a flywheel mass that stores energy and improves the quality of electricity as well as a diesel engine that produces the required energy during prolonged power outages.
Outcome
KW-Set Oy was selected as the provider of the emergency power solution in competitive tendering, as it had the capacity to provide a cost-effective solution that meets the hospital district’s operating needs. The company’s capability to offer a comprehensive service ranging from design to system implementation and subsequent maintenance services in support of the hospital’s maintenance personnel was also an asset.
Hospital District of South Ostrobothnia
The Hospital District of South Ostrobothnia includes 18 municipalities in the Finnish-speaking South Ostrobothnia, with a total population of nearly 200,000.
The Hospital District of South Ostrobothnia is one of the twelve hospitals providing demanding specialist emergency services in Finland. These hospitals are hubs of the most demanding specialist emergency competence and maintain round-the-clock units for demanding specialist emergency services.
The hospital district’s mission is to promote the health the health of the district’s population in cooperation with the basic health care and social services by taking care of the special obligations assigned to the hospital district and by providing specialised health care services for the region’s population.
“An emergency power solution that covers the needs of the hospital providing demanding specialist emergency services in order to secure the hospital’s operating capacity in all situations.”
Jari Hakala
Director of Support Services,
Hospital District of South Ostrobothnia
Customer benefits
- An emergency power solution that secures the operations of the hospital providing demanding specialist emergency services
- A customised emergency power solution
- Delivery in accordance with the procurement schedule
- 24/7 on-call and maintenance services
- Fully uninterrupted power supply
- The entire emergency power solution is installed outside the hospital facilities
- Simpler supply of electricity
- Improved short-circuit current power supply capacity compared to the conventional solution
- Clearly defined contract boundaries and responsibilities
Other customer cases