Finland’s most energetic customer magazine » 3/2019
How to prepare How electricity Being a Sikke Sumari for longer moves through tourist in your recharges with power outages Finland? hometown a power nap » p. 4 » p. 16 » p. 18 » p. 27
Did you know that, in the early 1900s, only 15% of the world’s population lived in cities? The world is migrating into cities CITIES HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE — AND VICE VERSA. NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF THE WORLD’S ENERGY IS CONSUMED IN CITIES. THEY GENERATE OVER 70% OF THE WORLD’S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BUT, IDEALLY, CITIES CAN ALSO LEAD THE WAY WHEN IT COMES TO THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND CLIMATE SOLUTIONS. » p. 8
Jakarta is Urban migration is a long- It’s getting standing phenomenon, and vying for Finland is no exception. It seems crowded in the top spot that the rate of urbanisation Manila Current projections see Manila is the world’s most Jakarta overtaking Tokyo as is only getting faster. Finland densely populated city. the world’s most populous city According to the latest statis- by 2030. By then, there will is predicted to have only three tics, the average population be more than 40 megacities growing urban regions in 2040: per square kilometre in Manila in the world with populations is 41,500. It is more than ten exceeding ten million. Helsinki, Tampere and Turku. times higher than in Helsinki. Psst! By introduc- ing new energy solutions, we want Let’s join forces to play an increas- ingly important EDITORIAL » Nearly one in four Finns have some connection with role in the daily life of our customers. Helen’s services. Behind individual customer accounts, you may find various partners, families and communities, companies and associ- ations. Occasional encounters and lifelong journeys. Diverse Finnish life that requires energy. To ensure that Helen is worthy of its customers, we continuously improve the customer experience. We want every encounter with Helen to leave a positive imprint. We develop cleaner and smarter solutions to make electric cars a genuinely practical alternative and ensure that our customers never run out of power at home. Techno- logical progress also enables new forms of cooperation. Helen’s cus- tomers can already receive compensation for the excess solar power they feed into the network. Energy flows in two directions. We all need to think about what we can do to mitigate climate change. Helen has set a goal of being carbon neutral by 2035. We are a partner, friend and guide on the path to a new era of energy. We promise you that together we can build a cleaner future. Join us!
“We promise you that together we can build a cleaner future.”
Sohvi Salmelin Marketing & Communications Director
A SOURCE OF PRIDE
NUORGAM
Half a million KILPISJÄRVI During the past few years, we have seen faster growth in the number of customers than ever before. We now have nearly 500,000 customers. Our northernmost customer is in Nuorgam, westernmost in Kilpisjärvi, easternmost in Möhkö and southernmost in Hanko. It is MÖHKÖ no exaggeration to say that Helen is an energy company for all of Finland.
Helen’s southernmost customer HANKO
is located in Hanko. GETTY IMAGES PHOTO:
PUBLISHER Helen Ltd, Kampinkuja 2, Helsinki, 00090 HELEN, tel. 09 6171 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Seija Uusitalo EDITORIAL TEAM Anna Huotari, Jenni Huusko, Petri Vihavainen, Mia Virolainen, Anu Ylänen PUBLISHING AGENCY A-lehdet Content Studio COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Getty Images and Mikko Hirvonen REPRO Aste Helsinki Ltd PRINTED BY UPC Print, Vaasa ISSN 1455-9528 HELEN MAGAZINE is Helen Ltd’s and Helen Electricity Network Ltd’s shared customer benefit. The magazine is published four times per year. The next issue will come out in November 2019. To cancel your subscription, send a message to [email protected]. Address change notifications: helen.fi. Our services online: helen.fi and helensahkoverkko.fi.
2 3/2019 Energy! Read about current phenomena and news. Pick up tips for smooth daily life. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES PHOTO:
#solarpower Join the climate campaign! Reducing your carbon footprint by solar power is now easy even if you don’t own any solar panels. Become a solar power producer and rent a designated panel for yourself at the Messukeskus solar power plant: helen.fi/messukeskus.
3/2019 3 #electriccars Is your housing company considering an investment in charging points for electric cars? Helen’s remote survey is a convenient way to find out how many charging points you can safely install in your car park. More information: helen.fi/etakatselmus.
How to prepare for an extended power outage:
✓✓ Get a torch and batteries or a candle and matches as a light source.
✓✓ You will need a battery-pow ered radio to listen to news and- announcements by the authorities. You can use the radio in your car, but phones will stop working when their base stations go offline.
✓✓ Chop up firewood for heating if you have a fireplace in your home. PHOTO: PROJECT CONSORTIUM K2S/NRT CONSORTIUM PROJECT PHOTO: ✓✓ Put aside drinking water and food that can be prepared without The Helsinki Olympic Stadium will electricity. The supply of water to your home will cease because reopen in 2020 as an energy-efficient water pressure is maintained by facility. The stadium is heated by Helen’s electric pumps. district heating and cooled by district cooling. A solar power plant on the roof ✓✓ Take out cash because ATMs won’t work and card payments won’t be of the stadium and EV charging stations possible. will make the atmosphere at sporting events even more electric.
HOW IRRESPONSIBLE IS IT...
...to leave your charger plugged in 24/7? It is irresponsible. The maximum power consump- tion allowed for chargers in standby mode is 150 mW. A charger left plugged in without a phone would waste 1.2 kWh of energy each year, and the estimated 6,000,000 chargers in Finland would consume a combined 7,200,000 kWh. That would correspond to the total annual energy consumption of 3,600 apartments. Do environmentally conscious thing and unplug your charger after use. PHOTO: MIKKO HIRVONEN MIKKO PHOTO:
#carbonneutral2035 Helen has set a target of carbon neutral energy production in 2035. We will achieve this goal step by step — first by stopping the use of coal, increasing use of renewable energy, and by building heat pumps and energy storage systems, for example.
4 3/2019 I GIVE IT THE THUMBS UP
“A worksite Stay on is not an inconvenience, the path but rather a Work site cyclist Aleksi Pip- necessary puri, 20, spent his summer riding around Helen’s good.” worksites to put their traffic arrangements to the test.
Work sites cause changes to our familiar paths and routes. To promote road safety, Helen hired a work site cyclist for summer 2019 to help test and develop the traffic arrange- ments at work sites and com- municate exceptional routes. Spending the summer on a bike gave work site cyclist Aleksi Pippuri a whole new perspective on getting around the city. “I live in the city, so work sites have always been part of the picture, but I hadn’t paid much attention to them before. This job gave me the opportunity to really get to know them and help make them better. I hope my role has made people see that work sites are not an inconve- nience, but rather a necessary good.” As he surveyed the work sites, Pippuri noted that a psychological perspective is necessary for making effec- tive traffic arrangements. While traffic around work sites is always arranged with safety as the first priority, people will only follow the prepared routes if they are natural and convenient to use. “People move like water: they follow the path of least resistance. Those in charge of traffic arrangements at work sites need to think about how to create routes that people will actually use instead of taking dangerous shortcuts across the street, for example.”
DID YOU KNOW? During the summer, Helen and Helen Electricity Network improved energy infrastructure at more than
TEXT: ANI KELLOMÄKI, PHOTO: PETRI MULARI PETRI MULARI PHOTO: ANI KELLOMÄKI, TEXT: 40 work sites.
3/2019 5 GETTING TO KNOW HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES 1
The most important attributes of Hello, a food dehy- drator are drying power I do the and even drying airflow. here! Dehydration is an ancient and revered method of preserving food.
2 3 “You can also take advan- What makes a food tage of the proximity of heat dehydrator better than sources in your home when an oven for drying food? Dehydrating food in an oven is difficult in the dehydrating food, e.g. radi- absence of proper air flow. You need to leave the ators and the spaces above oven door slightly ajar to let moisture out. Setting the temperature as low as you need is not easy. This refrigerators and freezers.” also applies to convection ovens. New ovens may Marja Einesalo Energy Advisor, Helen Ltd have a separate dehydration setting.
4 5 What is the What foods right drying can I put in a temperature? dehydrator? It depends. For herbs, the All kinds of herbs, root maximum temperature vegetables and ber- is 30°C, for mushrooms ries. As for drying fruit, 35–40°C and for berries, apples are the typical fruit and root vegetables choice for people in Finland. 50°C. Drying mushrooms Vegetables will taste better in a food dehydrator, for if you blanch them before example, takes 3–6 hours drying. The mushrooms that depending on the species, are best for drying include drying power and how full false morels, trumpet chan- the dehydrator is. Dehydra- terelle, yellow foot, horn of tors range in power from plenty, boletes and penny about 200 watts to more bun, the parasol mushroom, More information on energy-related topics:
PHOTOS: MANUFACTURER AND GETTY IMAGES MANUFACTURER PHOTOS: than 1,000 watts. charbonnier and russula. [email protected]
6 3/2019 #heatstorage The construction of the Mustikkamaa cavern heat storage facility is well underway. Finland’s largest heat storage facility will be in production use in 2021. It will enable a reduction of 21,000 tonnes in annual carbon dioxide emissions.
Let’s find out... about charging The electric vehicle charging network is expanding quickly.
What? How much power? What else?
HOME CHARGING STATION A charger with a Type 2 con- Minimum power at least As of mid-2019, there were nector. Often installed on the 3.7 kW, enough to charge a 3,523 pure electric vehicles wall or in the yard of a resi- fully electric car overnight on Finland’s roads along with dence. Owned by the person or a plug-in hybrid in a few 18,039 plug-in hybrids. who does the charging. hours.
HOUSING COMPANY Each charging station has More than 90% of cars Housing companies can CHARGING STATION one or two Type 2 connec- are charged at home or at apply for a subsidy from tors. Located in a housing housing companies, using ARA when building capacity company’s car park. equipment ranging from for at least 5 charging points. 3.7 kW to 22 kW.
COMPANY-OWNED Companies can offer About 5% of cars are Companies get approxi- CHARGING STATION charging for employees or charged at company-owned mately 8–10 smart charging customers, either free of charging stations. They set points from Helen, equipped charge or for a fee. Owned the power level as necessary. with features such as user by the company. identification.
PUBLIC CHARGING STATION A charging service that is Most stations use medium- Helen operates nearly 50 open to everyone. Locations speed equipment. Rapid stations and this number include shopping centres, charging equipment exceed- is set to double. The Virta service stations and city ing 50 kW can be used with service network comprises streets. pure electric vehicles. more than 600 stations.
Come out and spray! This piece by Elisabeth Vesanto and Pia Iiramo won the painting contest at the grand opening of the Suvilahti graffiti wall. The Kalasatama substation is encircled by a metal wall that is a hundred metres long, three metres high and intended as a canvas for graffiti. It is a living work of art that everyone is welcome to participate in.
“The message of this piece is that a small amount of energy can start a big reaction. Every moment is precious. We want to remind people about the importance of spending time together and sharing positive energy. Let’s give each other power!”
— Elisabeth Vesanto and Pia Iiramo PIPPURI ALEKSI PHOTO:
#solar energy People living in blocks of flats can now benefit from all the energy produced by the housing company’s solar panels. Compensation creates savings in energy and transmission costs as well as electricity taxes. More information: helensahkoverkko.fi.
3/2019 7 No more sweating in the summer heat The temperature inside the apartments on Minervankatu in Helsinki is just right, even during the hottest days of summer, now that the housing company has joined Helen’s district cooling network. The cooling pipes and equipment were installed in conjunction with plumbing renovations. Text: Marjukka Puolakka | Photos: Petri Mulari
DISTRICT COOLING BECAME A TOPIC OF DIS- who decided to join the cooling system cussion at Asunto Oy Minervankatu 2 were also responsible for their individ- when the housing company began to plan ual pipe installations and space-specific a plumbing renovation project. equipment. The additional costs per apart- “A neighbouring building had joined ment amounted to €2,000 on average.” Helen’s district cooling network. The peo- The average operating cost of the dis- ple at this property wanted to find out if trict cooling system has been about €15 they could do the same. The general meet- per apartment. Joining the district cool- ing then reached separate decisions on the ing system will also be possible at a later plumbing renovation and the construc- time. When district cooling is provided for tion of district cooling pipes,” says Build- in advance, the system can be introduced ing Manager Matti Nieminen, Managing cost-efficiently even years later. Director of Talohallinto Oy. Minervankatu 2 was connected to The housing company is comprised Helen’s district cooling trunk network of 49 apartments, with about 60 per located on Museokatu. It covers central cent joining the district cooling network Helsinki from Salmisaari to Kalasatama in conjunction with the plumbing ren- and from Hernesaari to Pasila. Outside ovation. This required the installation the trunk network, district cooling can be of connecting pipes, cooling pipes and implemented using property-specific heat space-specific units that are similar to the pumps installed in buildings that use dis- central unit of an air source heat pump. trict heating. “The cost of the plumbing renovation “District cooling makes life much more project was just over €2.3 million. The comfortable on hot summer days. It also housing company’s additional costs of has an undeniable positive impact on the installing the district cooling system were value of the apartments in this housing about €200,000. The apartment owners company.”
8 3/2019 What?
Asunto Oy Minervankatu 2.
A housing com- pany in Helsinki’s Etu-Töölö district, “District cooling comprised of 49 makes life much units including the commercial more comfortable premises at street and increases level. A five-storey red property values.” brick building built in 1914. Matti Nieminen Building Manager, Talohallinto Oy The property was connected to Helen’s district cooling network this summer.
3/2019 9 8+1 things you should know about District cooling
When interest in district Helen will deter- An HVAC engineer cooling emerges in the mine the method of authorised by the 1 housing company, its 2 implementation for 3 housing company eval- representative (building district cooling based on the uates the implementation manager or board member) housing company’s location. options and their impacts on should contact Helen’s If the building is outside the end result and costs. The customer service or sales Helen’s district cooling trunk project’s scope, preliminary department. network, cooling can be timetable and budget are produced locally by a heat defined at this stage. pump connected to the district heating network.
The general meet- The HVAC engineer The housing company ing of the housing determines the cooling signs an agreement 4 company discusses 5 need and designs a 6 with Helen on the the issue of buying a district cooling method that suits delivery and transmission of cooling system and makes the building. Helen helps the cooling energy. Helen deliv- a decision on the matter. engineer choose the right ers district cooling connec- In plumbing renovation equipment to suit the scope tion pipes and measurement projects, it makes sense to of the project and approves equipment to the housing consider future compatibility the designs. company’s basement on with district cooling. schedule.
The contractor builds Now the homes stay District cooling the property’s cooling nice and cool even can be imple- 7 system, which includes 8 during the hottest days +1 mented in both heat exchangers, pipes and of summer. Chilled water cir- new and old buildings. It is space-specific equipment. culating through the cooling an energy-efficient, carefree The space-specific equip- pipes absorbs excess heat and easy way to increase ments are integrated in wall from the rooms and the heat living comfort. Best of all, it and ceiling structures. The in the return water is utilised makes it possible to capture building is connected to Hel- for district heating. waste heat for use in district en’s district cooling network. heating production.
“A plumbing renovation project is a great time to join the district cooling network. At least, it makes sense to provide for the necessary pipes to make it cost-efficient and easy to join the district cooling at a later time.”
Jani Luukkonen Sales Manager, Helen Ltd
10 3/2019 City Everything you ever wanted to know about urbanisation — and more.
The number of cities of 1–5 million people will grow the fastest in the near future and is expected to approach 600 by 2030.
Half of the world’s population now live in cities. Urbanisation is one of the megatrends of our time. The number of megacities with more than 10 million people is growing. What will this mean in the future? Text: Kati Kelola | Photo: Getty Images
3/2019 11 5% of the Finnish population live in rural areas.
IF YOU PLAY TRIVIAL PURSUIT IN 2035 AND Although the number of megacities you’re asked to name the world’s most is increasing, medium-sized cities are populous city, the correct answer may be where the fastest growth is taking place. Jakarta, Indonesia. It is expected to over- The number of cities of 1–5 million peo- take Tokyo at the top of the list by 2030. ple is expected to reach 597 by 2030. Jakarta exemplifies the metropolis of This would be an increase of 130 com- The UN forecasts the future in several ways. pared to 2018. that 86% of the For one thing, the number of mega Forecasts of population growth in dif- people living in developed cities like Jakarta is increasing. Megaci- ferent regions and cities are only esti- countries will live ties are defined as having over 10 million mates, as the way cities are defined and in cities in 2050. inhabitants. There are currently 34 such delineated varies around the world. But metropolitan areas, and the UN predicts the trend is the same everywhere. this number will reach 43 by 2030. The majority of the world’s megacities “WORK OPPORTUNITIES ARE A BIG FACTOR,” are located in Asia. Of those 19 cities, says Mikko Dufva, Leading Foresight as many as six are in China. There are Specialist at Sitra. four megacities in Europe, five in South The world’s population is flowing into America and three each in Africa and cities in search of work, higher incomes The same forecast North America. and better future prospects. predicts that 64% Jakarta is also an example of the fast- China has seen what is perhaps the of the people in the developing est urban growth being seen in East biggest and fastest migration from rural world will live in Asia and South Asia areas to cities in world cities that year. at present. Africa will history. become a second con- Nearly 500 million tinent of megacities The big people have been on alongside Asia. five the move during the Megacities are part The world’s five most popu- past 30 years. Once a of the broader global lous cities: country with a rural megatrend of urbani- • Tokyo, 37 million population, China sation. More than half • Delhi, 29 million now has 60 per cent • Shanghai, 26 million Urbanisation is of the world’s pop- • México City, 22 million of its people living in happening very ulation already live cities. fast. In the early • São Paulo, 22 million 1900s, only 15% in urban areas, com- The figures are estimates. At their best, cit- of the world’s pared to only 30 per Population calculation meth- ies can indeed offer population lived in cent in the 1950s, for ods vary around the world. what people seek: a cities. example. better life. But much
12 3/2019 5% of the Finnish population live in rural areas. PHOTO: VASTAVALO PHOTO:
depends on how the city is structured from scratch is now at risk of becoming and developed. There are all kinds of an incomplete ghost town, and it doesn’t places along that continuum. look like the emission targets will be “At one extreme, you have shanty- achieved either. towns resulting from uncontrolled urban “The ideal shape of a city is found sprawl. At the other extreme, you have a somewhere between these extremes. The British Isles were an exception, well-planned city,” Dufva explains. People need to be engaged in planning with 72% of Cities where growth gets out of and designing the urban structure,” Englishmen and Welshmen already control suffer from various problems Dufva says. living in cities in because the urban structures can’t keep 1891. up. There aren’t enough homes for every- YOU CAN’T TALK ABOUT URBANISATION AND one, or new arrivals can’t afford them, migration without talking about the which leads to slums. Electrical power environment. Photos of the Beijing sky- and sewage networks as well as other line barely visible through air pollution infrastructure are absent or only partially are often featured in the media. Highly functional. Traffic becomes congested. built-up asphalt jungles generate not You get social problems, such as poverty, only pollution, but also heat. disease and appalling inequality. Cities have a significant impact on In 1891, the largest cities in England In the Nigerian megacity of Lagos, climate change — and vice versa. Nearly were London for example, most of its 14–21 million two-thirds of the world’s energy is con- (5.6 million) and Liverpool inhabitants (estimates vary) live in slum- sumed in cities. They also account for (520,000). like areas without more than 70 per cent running water or sew- of the world’s green- age systems. house gas emissions. As an extreme World of the “Cities are often example of a planned young major consum- city, Dufva mentions Global population growth ers of energy and Masdar City in the affects urbanisation. The resources,” Dufva United Arab Emirates. UN predicts that the points out. It’s a project aimed at world’s population will be According to Dufva, After London, the nearly 10 billion in 2050. In world’s largest building the world’s Nigeria, for example, the at their best, cities cities in 1891 were first city that was can lead the way with New York (2.7 median age of the popu- million) and Paris designed to be car- lation is currently 18 years. regard to the circular (2.4 million). bon neutral from the Half of the Indian popula- economy and climate start. However, this tion is under 25. solutions. city built in the desert Many kinds of
3/2019 13 85% of the Finnish population live in urbanised areas.
alternatives have already been devel- The age of the urbanising popula- oped. To solve problems related to heat tion will increase in Finland. The num- retention and wastewater management, ber of people over 65 years of age will some cities have ramped up their efforts increase in all of Finland’s regions, while to plant trees and plants as well as the number of children will decrease in installed green roofs on buildings. every region except the Åland Islands. In Kuwait, Monaco, Dufva says these types of cities are Among Finland’s urban areas, Hel- Nauru, Singapore called sponge cities. sinki’s population will grow the most. In and the Vatican, 100% of the “They absorb rain, neutralise the heat terms of infrastructure, this means that population lives in and clean the air. That makes them nicer 5,000 new homes and companies will the city. places to live.” join the city’s electricity network each year in the near future. FINLAND IS NO EXCEPTION TO THE TREND of urban migration, and it seems that “THE TREND OF URBANISATION IN HELSINKI the rate of urbanisation is only getting means that the city will become increas- faster. According to a forecast by the MDI ingly dense,” says Markku Hyvärinen, Consultancy for Regional Development, Director, Development and ICT at Helen published last spring and the subject of Electricity Network. In Burundi and widespread news coverage, the Finn- The densification of the urban struc- Papua New ish countryside is emptying faster than ture concerns not only new neighbour- Guinea, only 13% live in cities. In expected. hoods, but also older areas. Hyvärinen Liechtenstein, the Finland is pre- says they will be figure is 14%. dicted to have only rebuilt for the sec- three growing urban ond or third time, and regions in 2040: Hel- The world’s old structures will be sinki, Tampere and most urban removed to make way Turku. An estimated regions for growth. 67.1 per cent of the “For example, old North America, Latin Amer- Finnish population ica and the Caribbean are harbour areas and will live within the railway yards will be the world’s most urban The country ten largest urban areas areas, with roughly 80% repurposed.” with the highest by then. International of the population living in Population growth population density cities. Europe and Oceania is the city-state of migration will con- comes with a grow- Monaco at are next on the list. tribute to population ing need for land for 19,000 per km². growth at the regional homes and business level. premises. This means
14 3/2019 85% of the Finnish population live in urbanised areas. PHOTO: PETRI MULARI PHOTO:
that overhead power lines must be moved URBANISATION APPEARS UNSTOPPABLE, underground. Underground cabling will but climate change will influence migra- free up land for construction. tion more and more in the future. “The demand for electricity will also “Globally, the key question is where increase in the future,” Hyvärinen points will people be able to live when extreme out. weather phenomena become increas- The lowest population Part of this picture is that Helen is ingly common,” Mikko Dufva says. density is found in preparing to close down the Hanasaari “We are already seeing not only Mongolia at 2 per km². power plant, which produces district migration from rural areas to cities, but heating and electricity, by the end of also migration away from areas that are 2024. According to Hyvärinen, part of no longer inhabitable.” the district heating needed to replace Rising sea levels affect people living in Hanasaari’s output will be produced by coastal and low-lying areas. heat pumps that run on electricity. The “It will be interesting to see how cli- mobility solutions of the future will also mate change and the post-fossil era will be increasingly electric. influence the way we work by introduc- “This means that we will need to ing changes to industries.” bring in more electricity from outside Dufva believes cities may play a deci- Finland’s most densely populated Helsinki. The need for electricity trans- sive role in the race to solve problems in municipality mission will increase. We will need to the climate change era. after Helsinki is Kauniainen at develop higher capacity networks at the “Cities may take on a key role in the 1,630 per km². same time as we move circular economy, power lines under- meaning the devel- ground,” Hyvärinen opment of relatively explains. The new self-sufficient, sus- According to megacities of tainable and closed Hyvärinen, energy Africa loop areas,” Dufva efficiency has adds. The next African megac- improved so much ities are Dar es Salaam in “The more of a in recent times that resource you have in The most sparsely Tanzania and the Angolan populated the overall increase in capital Luanda. If the wildest one place, the more municipality electricity consump- forecasts are to be believed, efficiently you can in Finland is the population of Lagos in Savukoski at tion is quite moderate make use of it.” Nigeria could grow to 100 0.16 per km². compared to the last million. SOURCES: EUROMONITOR, decades of the 1900s, WORLD BANK, PRB, THE GUARD- IAN, WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, for example. UN
3/2019 15 HOW IT WORKS
1. 25% Electricity 24% transmission 23% The electricity system in Finland
consists of power plants, the 15% transmission grid, high-voltage distribution networks, distribu- tion networks and the users of 7% electricity. Transmission lines link Finland with Sweden, Russia,
Estonia and Norway. 6% Infographics: Henna Ryynänen
0.2%
2.
1. PRODUCTION METHODS IN FINLAND IN 2018 Nuclear power 25% Combined heat and power 24% • Finland has high heating requirements, and heating plants often generate elec- tricity as well. Net import of electricity 23% • Finland imports electricity from Sweden, Russia and Estonia. Hydropower 15% 7. MEDIUM-VOLTAGE • There are about 400 power plants in Fin- DISTRIBUTION NETWORK land, with hydropower plants representing • 20 kV transmission lines. more than half of this total. Wind power 7% 8. DISTRIBUTION SUBSTATION Condensing power 6% • Transforms voltage from high to low for • Condensing power plants produce only household use. electricity. The heat that is generated at the same time is channelled into the sea. 9. LOW-VOLTAGE DISTRIBUTION Solar power 0.2% NETWORK • 230 kV transmission lines. 2. SUBSTATION • Transforms voltage from low to high for 10. POWER DISTRIBUTION CABINET long-distance transmission. The higher the • Divides the electricity for the local prop- transmission voltage, the lower the power erties. losses. 11. ELECTRICITY METER 3. TRANSMISSION GRID • Measures the customer’s electricity • Power is transmitted in 400 kV transmis- consumption and relays the data to the sion lines. network operator. The reliability of the 4. SUBSTATION 12. SWITCHBOARD electricity network in • Transforms voltage from high to low. • Divides the electricity for use by electrical equipment at the property. Helsinki is among the 5. HIGH-VOLTAGE DISTRIBUTION world’s highest at NETWORK 13. HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES • Power is transmitted in 110 kV transmis- sion lines. 14. SOLAR POWER • Runs home appliances, surplus energy 99.999% 6. SUBSTATION can be compensated in the customer’s • Transforms voltage from high to low. electricity bill.
16 3/2019 Antti’s Footsteps are designer pylons that support 110 kV power lines between Salmisaari and Meilahti.
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3/2019 17 ME & MY HOMETOWN Holiday in Helsinki Staycationer Vera Melleri enjoys experiencing her hometown through the eyes of a tourist.
I found out about staycations when my chil- dren were still young. Travelling for a hobby of mine, I had realised how nice it was to spend some time alone in a hotel room. At first, it felt extravagant to get a hotel room in your hometown, but now I enjoy it to the full. I take a little time off for myself 2–3 times a year by putting together 24 hours of pampering around one night in a hotel. “I prefer places A staycation is an eco-friendly choice with personality,” says Vera Melleri because it doesn’t involve travel. at the Kaisaniemi I prefer places with personality. I always Botanic Garden in request a room with a sea view if possible. I Helsinki. go for a swim, relax in a whirlpool and enjoy a lovely hotel breakfast. You experience Helsinki differently when you’re on vacation. In the hustle of daily life, you don’t have time to wander off into side streets, get lost and visit cute little cafés. A staycation is all about taking it slow and not following a tight schedule. Having a lie-down is definitely part of my staycation rituals. I have a million things to take care of at home, so I really enjoy being able to just stretch out for a bit. I often treat myself to slightly overpriced chocolate truf- fles or other delicacies. You have to give time to yourself just like you give time to your family and employer. Instead of complaining about the hardships of daily life, you need to think about what you can do to make things easier on your- self. I like to look for hotel discounts. When a good one comes along, I come up with a plan for being a tourist in my hometown for that d ay. ”
VERA’S TIPS How to make the most of your Ask for a Go for a walk Enjoy the sea, Eat room room with without your sky and service in staycation: a view. phone. parks. bed. TEXT: ANI KELLOMÄKI, PHOTO: KIRSI TUURA PHOTO: ANI KELLOMÄKI, TEXT:
18 3/2019 9 TRICKY QUESTIONS Did you know this 1
Finnish apartment about apartment buildings are typically... buildings? A. …2–3 storeys Find out how familiar you are with the go-to B. …3–4 storeys C. …5–6 storeys housing choice among city dwellers.
2 3
Where is the oldest How tall is the high-rise apartment building in building planned for Hel- Finland? sinki’s Pasila district? A. Turku A. 100 metres B. Helsinki B. 130 metres C. Porvoo C. 180 metres
4 5 6
Finland’s first wood- How many one-person In the Helsinki region, framed apartment build- households are there in families with children ing will be located in... Finland? mostly live in... A. ...Vantaa A. 2,500,000 A. ...terraced houses
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES AND HELSINKI CITY MUSEUM GETTY IMAGES PHOTOS: B. ...Joensuu B. 800,000 B. ...single-family houses C. ...Lahti C. 1,200,000 C. ...apartment buildings
7 8
What is the tallest The world’s building in the world? fastest lift is in A. Burj Khalifa, UAE B. One World Trade Center, Shanghai Tower USA in China. How C. Taipei 101, Taiwan fast does it go? A. 35 km/h 9 B. 80 km/h C. 74 km/h What is the tallest hotel in Finland? A. Hotel Torni, Tampere B. Hotel Torni, Helsinki C. Hotel Flamingo, Vantaa
Hotel Torni in Helsinki was
opened in 1931.
ANSWER KEY: KEY: ANSWER 1 B, 2 B, 3 C, 4 B, 5 C, 6 C, 7 C, 8 A, 9 A. 9 A, 8 C, 7 C, 6 C, 5 B, 4 C, 3 B, 2 B, 1
3/2019 19 THE BIG PICTURE
The most densely populated city The Philippine capital Manila has grown around the Pasig River.
According to the latest sta- tistics, Manila has 1,780,000 people living in an area of 42.88 km², which gives it a population density of 41,500 people per km². It is the world’s most densely pop- ulated city. By comparison, Helsinki has 650,000 people living in an area of 215.16 km², which makes the popula- tion density just over 3,000 per km². Manila is part of Mega Manila, which already has more than 20 million people. This figure is expected to reach 30 million by 2030. Traffic congestion, air pollu- tion and hazardous living con- ditions are among its major problems. The response to these issues involves building several population centres of various sizes, with good cross traffic between them. This would prevent the population from accumulating around a single centre.
20 3/2019 3/2019 21
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES 22 1920s? the as early as Helsinki in used was heating district that youDid know TIMELINE 3/2019 Heating homes through the years
PHOTOS: HELEN, GETTY IMAGES AND MIKKO HIRVONEN copper tubing. using freon gasin geothermal heat pump go onto buildthefirst heat. Later, hewould use ofthewasted He decidedto make refrigeration system. pipes ofhisfreezer’s his handontheoutlet he accidentally burned idea cameto himwhen erant circulation. The pump basedonrefrig- invented theheat Robert C.Webber campfires to cook gathered around caves other and enclosed areas. were eventually food seek and warmth. Fires Early humans moved inside 1,900,000 BCE 1940
their extinction. Europe andAsiauntil modern humansin They lived alongside heating andcooking. mammoth bonesfor built hearthsfrom Neanderthals introduced soonafter. district heating was later, withwater-based about three decades production began cial district heating repair shop. Commer- plant to heat anearby the Suvilahtipower steam generated by Helsinki involved using of district heating in The first application 44,000 BCE 1920 2500 BCE 500 BCE 1200
The first fixed hearths were built at the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus in ancient Greece. Excavations have revealed flues Central heating was used to channel a Roman invention. The hypocaust system heat generated by involved erecting open fires around buildings on pillars. A the temple. fire was lit underneath to heat the floor and The invention of the walls without allowing chimney provided smoke inside. The the foundation for system was used in heating methods that upper class homes and are used to this day. Roman baths. Similar The first chimneys systems were also were so large that used in Korea and Syria chimney sweeps could around the same time. fit inside.
1919 1900 1855
Alice H. Parker Franz San Galli patented a central Albert L. Marsh invented the radiator, heating system. Her which was the first sig- invention was a gas- becomes nificant step towards heated central furnace the father of our modern heating that allowed heat to electrical heating systems. He gave his spread throughout a by coming up invention the name building through air “hot-box”. ducts. with nichrome wire. Made from 80% nickel and 20% chromium, it has a melting point of 1,400°C and high resistance to oxidation. Many varieties of nichrome are still widely used.
3/2019 23 ECO-ACTION Making the city greener The roof of a distribution substation in Punavuori was transformed into a pollina- tion station for the summer.
There’s a buzz in the air in central Helsinki on this bright summer morning. Bees and bumblebees fly from flower to flower, sipping nectar to pro- vide nutrition for their hives. “They won’t sting you,” say Eija Leinonen and Kaisa Viitanen. They are members of Make Punavuori Blossom, a commu- nity that waters the flowering plants at the pollination sta- tion built on the roof of a local distribution substation. The pollination station con- sists of flowering plants and plywood art. “The artwork features shapes inspired by the spe- cies of moss growing on the concrete walls of the sub- station. The shape of the art piece as a whole is triangular like the roof of the substation, so it combines natural and man-made shapes,” says art- ist-designer Päivi Raivio from the RaivioBumann Art and Design Studio. She created the piece in collaboration with Daniel Bumann. The station is a pilot for the Green Infra concept developed by the pair. “We chose pollinator-friend- ly plants, such as marigold, starflower and runner bean.” When the pollination station is taken down in late August, the plant boxes will be distrib- uted to make yards around Punavuori greener.
DID YOU KNOW? Helen partners with RaivioBumann on the Green Infra concept, which is aimed at making urban infrastruc- ture — such as roofs, vacant areas and underground spaces — greener.
24 3/2019 Green Infra projects are also planned for the roofs of the oil tanks at the Munkkisaari district heating station as well as the Sähkötalo rooftop terrace, which is earmarked EVENTS for a herb garden. The following cus- tomer events are scheduled for this autumn at Helen’s Energy Gallery on the third floor of Säh- kötalo at Kampinkuja 2 (Malminrinne 6), Helsinki. Coffee will be served starting from 4 p.m. Welcome! Registration: helen.fi/ tapahtumat
TUE 10.9. 5–7 PM Services for housing companies New solutions help monitor conditions at housing companies and achieve cost savings. Come listen to presentations and discuss Helen’s ser- vices with our experts.
TUE 24.9. 5–7 PM A safe home is func- tional and well lit Learn about solutions that make your home safer for people of all ages. Ergonomics, flexibility and good lighting are part of home safety.
TUE 22.10. 5–7 PM EVs are coming — how to upgrade car parks There are many ways for housing companies to arrange charging for electric cars. What should housing companies take into account in making decisions on charging points? What methods of implementation are available?
TUE 12.11. 5–7 PM Sustainability through plant-based cooking — ideas for festive end-of-the- year meals Adding more vege- tables to your diet is not only healthy, but also a climate-friendly choice. Join this event for tips on cooking Kaisa Viitanen delicious plant-based (left) and Eija meals and making Leinonen are part good use of kitchen of the pollination appliances. station’s enthusias- tic plant watering community. Alma is keeping a close eye on them. TEXT: JOUKO VUORELA, PHOTO: PETRI MULARI VUORELA, PHOTO: JOUKO TEXT:
3/2019 25 SUDOKU
Sudokus solution: helen.fi/sudoku
READER SURVEY One lucky survey Send us your feedback respondent and win a prize! will win a food Which of the stories in this issue was the most dehydrator. interesting to you? You can also let us know what you would like to read about in Helen magazine. Participate in the survey by 11 October 2019 online at helen.fi/ OBH Nordica Tasty or send a postcard to Helen, Helen magazine, This dehydrator is great for drying mushrooms, fruit, lukijakilpailu vegetables and herbs. It has five trays, with the largest 00090 HELEN. Don’t forget to write your contact details and being 33 cm in diameter. You can choose from two customer number on the card. dehydration speeds.
26 3/2019 6 SOURCES OF ENERGY Sikke Sumari
1 4 Power naps Family This is a skill I have I have three sons and learned just recently. I one grandchild, with sleep for 10–30 minutes another one on the way. in a Hakola chair that My son lives in Swit- has a lovely ottoman so zerland with his family, I can put my feet up. but when we meet and I get to hold my six- month-old grandchild, I forget about everything else. We don’t plan our get-togethers very much. We just live in the moment. 2 Pipsa 5 I work closely Workouts together with Pipsa I want to keep myself on the menu physically fit. I’m full at Sikke’s. Pipsa’s of energy after a creativity feeds my good workout with creativity! my personal trainer!
Who 6
Sikke Sumari is an entrepreneur Customers and TV host. I could never have guessed how energising it is to She has a have customers find my restaurant. It’s a real shot of restaurant — energy for me and it tells me we’re on the right path. Sikke’s — in 3 Helsinki and a B&B called NamiNamaste Skip-Bo! on the island of Muhu in Esto- We like to do potlucks nia, which also with a group of friends, offers cooking with everyone bringing workshops. something nice to Sumari will host eat. And then we play the cooking game show Skip-Bo! They are times Kokkisota on when I get to just focus MTV3 this autumn. on the game and laugh
TEXT: EMILIA SALORANTA, PHOTOS: A-LEHDET PHOTO ARCHIVE, GETTY IMAGES AND HAKOLA HUONEKALU OY HUONEKALU AND HAKOLA ARCHIVE, GETTY IMAGES PHOTO A-LEHDET PHOTOS: EMILIA SALORANTA, TEXT: to my heart’s content.
3/2019 27 The combined area of Finland’s cities is 117,144.93 km².
Energy Gallery: group visits, Helen Oy Facebook Sähkötalo, advice on topics such as heating, @energiahelen Kampinkuja 2, new electricity solutions and 00090 HELEN consumption monitoring as well as • helen.fi guidance on issues related to the Instagram selection, use and maintenance of @energiahelen ELECTRICITY CUSTOMERS household appliances @helensahkoverkko Mon–Fri 8–18 • [email protected] Contracts and billing YouTube • 09 617 8080 FAULT REPORTS @HelsinginEnergia • [email protected] Disruptions in electricity distribu- On the web tion • helen.fi/ota-yhteytta • 08001 80808 Twitter Free online services Disruptions in district heating @EnergiaHelen • helen.fi distribution @HELsahkoverkko Phone line for movers 24/7 • 08001 60602 • 09 617 8020 Real-time information on LinkedIn disruptions @helen-oy HEATING CUSTOMERS • helen.fi @helen-sähköverkko-oy Mon–Fri 8–16 New district heating connections CALL CHARGES • 09 617 8013 Calls are subject to local network • [email protected] or mobile call charges Contract amendments and assistance • 09 617 8014 • [email protected] Helen Electricity Billing, meter reading and energy Network Ltd consumption • helensahkoverkko.fi • 09 617 8001 District heating equipment ELECTRICITY NETWORK inspections and assistance CUSTOMERS • 09 617 8012 Contracts and billing • 09 617 8090 COOLING CUSTOMERS Electricity network connections Mon–Fri 8–16 • 09 617 8086 Sales and contracts On the web • 09 617 8015 • helensahkoverkko.fi • [email protected] Free online services • helen.fi ENERGY GALLERY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE Sähkötalo, 3rd floor Mon–Fri 8–16