Recovering heat for energy efficiency

A focus on energy

Lindström had a particular focus on energy efficiency in 2015. As energy acquisitions form one of the Group’s main purchasing items, energy efficiency has a direct impact on the profitability and pricing of the service. Energy efficiency allows to curb upward pressure on prices resulting from rising energy costs. Lindström’s total production has grown steadily, while energy consumption per maintained kilo of waste was reduced. By 2020, the company aims to cut down its energy consumption by 6 per cent. The energy efficiency goal can be achieved through planned measures, in the next few years concentrating on the energy efficiency of real estate and heat recovery in the wash process.

Advancements in heat recovery both from wash water and exhaust air of dryers have had a significant impact on the company’s energy efficiency. In 2015, new heat recovery systems were installed in Estonia, Finland and Slovenia, and existing equipment was updated in Finland. As the instalments and updates were carried out in the latter half of 2015, the annual energy saving rate has not been measured yet. However, the efficiency coefficient of heat recovery systems is 15-25 per cent, and repairs to existing systems are expected to achieve savings of approximately 10 per cent.

The energy efficiency of real estate has been examined through energy analyses. Fine-tuning the ventilation, heating and air conditioning of properties as well as adopting best practices have resulted in as much as 12 per cent in savings without extra investments. The energy analysis also pays attention to the energy efficiency of each facility.

Energy reviews are conducted in accordance with EU legislation. Lindström applies the Finnish Energy Efficiency Act in all of its operations, and in 2015, the Group’s parent company in Finland satisfied the legal requirements. In 2015, the energy review was carried out in the entire parent company, while unit-specific reviews that cover 10 per cent of energy consumption were carried out in Lindström’s Oulu unit and Comforta units in Tampere. Practices proven to be efficient according to the reviews will be applied in all of Lindström’s units.