The market for district heating and cogeneration technology is growing worldwide, mainly in central Europe, North America and the Far East. The growth of the demand is due to the increasing importance of energy saving and environmental protection. District heating is a natural choice for Finland because of its northern location. The loss of important hydropower resources compelled Finland to develop alternative sources of energy. The cogeneration technology adapted from the pulp and paper industry offered on efficient energy generation concept for conservation of energy and obtaining a cleaner environment. District heating accounts for about 45% of the heating market in Finland today, and its market share is more than 80% in the largest cities.

KEYWORDS: year 1996, cogeneration, district heating, energy conservation, Finland, environment, electricity consumption, air pollution, outdoor, heat flow, coal, peat, oils, energy consumption, pipelines, natural gas, energy, efficiency