Kainuun Voima

"Now the load sample data is registered in real-time in the Once system and we receive the loads’ energy quantity calculations directly from the system. "

”Significant resource savings”

”Our starting point was to include all of the routine tasks related to energy quantity calculations in Pinja’s Once fuel information system. This releases human resources to our core tasks: heat and power production and the related maintenance and service tasks. Pinja’s Once system was taken in use in March this year. Already in May, we were able to take care of all of the initial energy-based charging methods and price calculations in the system,” says Kimmo Keinänen, the Operation Manager of Kainuun Voima.

For each load, we take samples for analysing the moisture, temperature and load weight. Now this data is registered in real-time in the Once system and we receive the loads’ energy quantity calculations directly from the system.

Kimmo Keinänen, Operation Manager, Kainuun Voima Oy

The challenge: Delay before receiving the load data

“Our power plants receive several tens of different fuel loads every day. For each load, we take samples for analysing the moisture, temperature and load weight. Now this data is registered in real-time in the Once system and we receive the loads’ energy quantity calculations directly from the system. Earlier, it was necessary to enter all weighing information manually and there was a considerable delay – even more than a week – before receiving the load data,” says Keinänen.

The solution: Once by Pinja speeds up multiple operations

“This is also a completely new operating model providing a possibility for the different operators of the energy supply chain to enter their results directly in the system, and the real-time data is also available to the suppliers. We use the Once system to process all fuels received to our power plants: wood-based peat, different types of wood chips and waste sorted according to its place of origin. Obligations related to the emission trading scheme, i.e., restrictions placed on coal and oil, are also taken care in the Once system.

Thanks to the Once system, our monthly reporting has speeded up remarkably. Earlier, it took us three days in a month to process the fuel data and set up invoicing methods to only take care of the invoicing requests. Now, energy-based invoicing requests are created in 4 to 6 hours and invoices are sent in electronic form. On annual basis, the resource saving is really significant and entirely attributable to Pinja’s Once system. However, this is not the only benefit, but the system has also reduced other redundant tasks, such as intermediate reporting to suppliers. This is no longer necessary as the reports are available in real-time in the system for the suppliers to view using their own user accounts.

The Once system can handle extensively all fuel types. In our experience, the Once system is an extremely functional and easy-to-use interface. We wanted a system that can also be customised specifically to each supplier. Many modifications were made to make it meet our needs, for example, related to reporting. The entire project carried out together with Pinja, the start-up and the system itself earn top marks,” Keinänen concludes.