Project Partners Visit the LEMENE Lempäälä Energy Community: Gaining Insights into Local Energy Systems and Market Participation
Partners from the STREAM project visited the LEMENE Lempäälä Energy Community in Finland to explore innovative and sustainable energy solutions. The visit in the scope of 6th general meeting provided valuable insights into a highly integrated local energy system that combines a diverse range of technologies to enhance energy self-sufficiency and grid stability.
The LEMENE project, managed by Lempäälän Energia, integrates solar power, fuel cell technology, BESS, CHP units, gas engines and a large heat reservoir. This advanced setup enables effective energy storage, both electrically through the BESS and thermally via the heat reservoir, providing flexibility and resilience to the system. The ability to operate in island mode further strengthens the community’s energy security by ensuring a continuous power supply even during grid outages.
A key insight from the visit was the challenge posed by national regulations, which currently prevent Lempäälän Energia from forming a formal energy community with local stakeholders in the nearby industrial zone. As a result, LEMENE focuses on district heating services and utilizing its production capacity and storage across multiple balancing markets, including FCR-N, FCR-D, aFRR, and mFRR.
The visit aligns well with the STREAM project’s objectives, particularly in demonstrating how various types of flexibility can be utilised effectively and across different markets.
