Brussels, 06/09/2010 (Agence Europe) - The city of Lahti's combined heat and power plant project was launched on Friday 3 September at a ceremony led by Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs Mauri Pekkarinen. The European Investment Bank is the largest provider of financing for the facility with a €75 million loan, also signed on 3 September.
The Lahti plant will convert municipal waste into heat and power through the large-scale use of a novel method involving waste gasification, gas cleaning and high-efficiency combustion. With a capacity of 250,000 tons of waste per year and generating 90 MW heat and 50 MW electricity, the project will partially replace a coal-fired plant and sharply reduce landfill disposal in the region. The project supports European Union objectives in environmental and energy technology as well as in research and development. Lahti Energia Oy will own and operate the plant. Financing in addition to that from the EIB will be provided by the Nordic Investment Bank, Lahti Energia's own funds and a grant from the Finnish Government. (O.L./transl.rt)