Oulunsalo is Osuuskauppa Arina’s second commercial property to install an innovative energy production system. The first was the S-market in Ritaharju, which was completed in 2022. Both sites are a part of the 2022 contract between Osuuskauppa Arina, Oulun Energia, and Caverion for the realisation of ten energy-smart commercial properties.

Energy-smart properties produce heat from the cold

The innovation developed jointly by the companies increases cost-effective carbon-neutral district heat production by utilising waste and condensate heat from commercial properties. In addition, this new way of controlling energy flows provides a tangible way to combat climate change that can be implemented locally. 

“The modernisation of the service network and the development of energy efficiency support our objective to be carbon-negative by 2025. We are delighted that, as a result of the collaboration between Oulun Energia and Caverion, we can open another energy-smart store and take part in the effort to combat climate change,” says Reima Loukkola, managing director at Osuuskauppa Arina.

According to calculations, the system to be installed in Oulunsalo will enable up to 3 GWh of district heat to be produced annually, corresponding to the annual consumption of approximately 170 detached houses. At the same time, carbon dioxide emissions will decrease by about 330 tonnes when calculated using the 2022 energy content method.

“Our collaboration demonstrates that there is a lot of potential in utilising condensate heat in the district heating network and that it is one of the key ways in which we can reduce emissions and improve our security of supply,” states Kimmo Alatulkkila, heating services manager at Oulun Energia.

Read Osuuskauppa Arina’s press release about opening the energy-smart S-market in Oulunsalo (in Finnish only).