Optimized asset performance and emission control via centralized monitoring

Adven, the leading provider of energy and water services across Northern Europe, operates over 300 sites in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia and Latvia. For industries, Adven produces 24/7 industrial steam, heat and cooling as well as provides utility and processing solutions to improve energy, water and material efficiency. For the real estate segment, Adven offers district heating and cooling services.

Reliable operations and reliable systems go hand in hand

Companies like Adven can achieve profitable and sustainable results from centralized remote monitoring and advanced data management solutions. Valmet DNA Asset Monitoring provides all the necessary elements for efficient and secure fleet data monitoring, visualization and analysis. From single plant-level control to producing fleet-level KPI reports, the solution can be used to optimizes fleet management and operations planning and improves predictive maintenance.

When asset monitoring is part of Valmet DNA Automation System, the full solution offers broad fuel flexibility and ensures optimum electrical efficiency. This offers plant operators more options when choosing fuel and enables more electricity to be generated, both of which greatly improve plant profitability. In addition, efficient combustion has a positive impact on any plant’s environmental performance. It also creates a framework for different kinds of information solutions, like plant management applications and emission monitoring applications.

Targeting operational efficiency and reliability

“Over the years, more and more of our sites are being run with Valmet DNA Automation System. We wanted to have a centralized fleet monitoring solution to improve our operational efficiency. The natural next step was to build it on top of our existing automation system. We wanted to fully utilize its advanced data management features to operate and manage these plants remotely and more efficiently from our operation center in Vantaa,” says Olli Takala, Automation Manager at Adven.

Adven selected the Valmet DNA Asset Monitoring solution to improve its data-driven fleet management. Currently, five of Adven’s plants in Finland are connected to the operation center and managed with the solution. Olli Takala emphasizes that functionality is now much easier. “Having an engineering station enables not only us to manage the applications and make minor changes to them remotely – our selected partners and Valmet can do it, too.”

The centralized fleet monitoring solution has made our operators’ work easier. In the evenings and during weekends, the plants are run from the operation center. Our staff find the solution versatile and easy to use. They especially like the data visualization and trend tool, since the trends enable them to act proactively before any alarms go off. The history tool, in turn, offers invaluable help in troubleshooting. In all, it is a big plus that all data is in one system, so we do not have to spend any time learning and using many systems”, Miika Korhonen, Control Room Supervisor at Adven, points out.

Improving operations with centralized online emissions data

Adven aims to be part of the solution to climate change and drive the energy transition together with its partners. At the core is the company’s vision to reduce CO₂ emissions both in its own and in its customers’ energy production. Therefore, Adven needed to improve emission monitoring and reporting to optimize system life-cycle maintenance and comply with authority requirements. “Earlier, we had various emission data collection and reporting solutions at our Finnish sites that are obliged to report to the authorities. Now, we opted for a centralized and easy-to-use solution with one service supplier to assume full responsibility for the upkeep,” Korhonen goes on.

Adven selected Valmet DNA Emission Monitoring and Reporting solutions (EMRS) for four of its plants. At two of the plants, the EMRS works as a standalone solution built on top of a third-party automation system.

With the DNA Emission Monitoring and Reporting application, air emission concentration and total emissions are calculated automatically based on the valid industrial emission directives and the new Best Available Techniques (BAT) requirements. Real-time emission data is presented in user-friendly reports and on displays. Most importantly, plants can react quickly to any situation that might elevate emissions above the set limits.

It is good that emission data is available both locally at plants and throughout our organization. Our environmental and production managers follow the data, and our automation team uses it in troubleshooting. For the operators in the operation center and locally at plants, online emission data provides a tool to run the process optimally. Now that emission data is available to every stakeholder 24/7, there is no longer any need to send Excel sheets from the plants to other parts of the organization. With real-time information available, there are also fewer mistakes and misinterpretations,” Takala adds.

Smooth and flexible cooperation with Valmet

According to Takala, cooperation with Valmet has been smooth and flexible with regard to new automation solutions or tuning or troubleshooting at the plants. “I have been happy with Valmet’s work,” he concludes. “Valmet’s 24/7 service agreement and the proximity of Valmet’s service center in Vantaa strengthen the cooperation,” he adds.

For more information, please contact

Elina Kleemola, Product Manager, Performance Solutions

elina.kleemola(at)valmet.com