Energy efficiency

We optimise energy efficiency at the system level and in our offices.

Caruna's own energy efficiency

Energy losses arise in the transmission and distribution of electricity. The majority, more than 99 percent, of our energy use is distribution and conversion losses. The losses amount to just under three percent of the total amount of electricity we distribute.

Less than a half percent of our electricity consumption is generated in our Espoo office. The office utilises district heating, geothermal cooling and electricity. Our office also has a small amount of our own solar power production. Our purchased electricity is emission-free nuclear electricity and has a guarantee of origin.

Climate and energy-efficiency solutions for customers

The energy transition will give rise to major changes in electricity generation and consumption. Electricity consumption will increase significantly, and the change will be greatest in high-voltage networks as industry electrifies and the amount of wind power increases. The generation of electricity will become dependent on the weather, and the amount of regulating capacity as a share of gross production will decrease significantly.

This change will increase the need for consumption to be flexible in response to the volume of generated electricity, and there will be more interim energy storage. The most significant change for the distribution network will be power fluctuations, which are caused by new phenomena: heat pumps, charging of electric vehicles, solar power production and demand-side management. Our smart electricity network enables renewable energy to be connected and distributed to our customers without compromising the reliability of supply or losing renewable production.

Solar power systems

In addition to energy companies, large corporations can produce energy for their own uses, but you may also find small-scale energy producers in your neighbourhood, family or workplace. Micro-producers – private individuals and housing companies – usually produce a few kilowatts or, at most, a few dozen kilowatts of energy. The average solar panel owner covers up to 20 per cent of their consumption with their own solar production.

Almost 30,000 power plants have already been connected to Caruna's operating area, most of which majority are people living in detached houses, and there are more than ten solar communities set up by housing companies. Solar panels are now viable for housing companies, as solar power can be used in the company's common areas, such as the laundry room and outdoor lighting. As such, installing a large solar panel system is relatively cheaper, and the investment will pay itself back well before the warranty on the panels expires.

Read about energy communities

Charging electric cars

In 2030, more than half a million electric cars and plug-in hybrids are expected to be on Finland's roads. In order for this vision of electrified transport to become a reality, the distribution network must be able to withstand the large momentary power levels needed to charge vehicles.

Over one-tenth of new houses are already being fitted with electric car chargers during the construction phase. In practice, all new buildings have cabling or piping in place for when a charger is installed. Chargers can also be purchased for old housing companies. An agreement should be reached at the company's general meeting if a charging post is to be installed by a row house or block of flats.

Electric cars are becoming more common and the number of charging points is increasing. What are the implications for the electricity distribution network? (In Finnish)

Electrical load control

If you produce solar energy, the most cost-effective way of using the electricity is to consume it yourself. That is why it is also worth deploying load control, which enables customers to schedule electrically operated storage heaters, such as water boilers or storage heaters, to start up at night or during the day.

Load control and solar panels also provide an inexpensive way of charging electric cars. If your car is at home during the day, you can use load control to schedule the charging of the car at the sunniest time of day.

Load control can also ease bottlenecks, for example, with electric cars charging in one neighbourhood, whereby the capacity of the charging points is shared evenly among all the vehicles that need to be charged at the same time. The charging power of each vehicle increases when another car in the same charging system stops charging or its battery is full. Correspondingly, the charging power decreases if more cars begin charging.

Similarly, smart load control can be used to address even the largest electricity consumption bottlenecks in society.

The free-of-charge electrical load control service is automatically available to all our customers who have night or seasonal distribution as the electricity distribution product and who have controlled electrical devices connected to their electric meters.

Do you use exchange electricity? How to reduce your electricity bill (In Finnish)