MAN Energy Solutions to Supply World’s Largest Air-to-Water Heat Pump for Helsinki’s District Heating

Helsinki’s district heating system now includes a huge air-to-water heat pump, a major step towards the city’s goal of being carbon neutral. The 33 MW heat pump, which will be the biggest of its kind in the world, is being delivered by MAN Energy Solutions under a contract with the Finnish energy business Helen Oy. This cutting-edge technology, which is a component of the Patola heating plant complex, is anticipated to minimise CO2 emissions by 26,000 tonnes per year.

Even at -20°C, the new heat pump will generate heat by using CO2 as a natural refrigerant in a closed-loop system that uses ambient air and renewable electricity. It will provide about 30,000 houses in Helsinki with about 200 GWh of heat annually, with a production capacity of up to 33 MW. This program greatly reduces emissions from traditional heating techniques, which is in line with Helsinki’s objective of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

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While Juhani Aaltonen, Helen’s vice president of green investments, focused on the project’s effects on customer price stability and carbon neutrality, Uwe Lauber, CEO of MAN Energy Solutions, emphasised the project’s significance in furthering worldwide carbon reduction efforts. Acknowledging the significance of this technology, the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has granted an energy subsidy to facilitate its adoption. The plant will go into service during the 2026–2027 heating season, which will be a significant turning point in Helsinki’s transition to a sustainable future.