Soojusjaam

Soojusjaam, Estonian for "heating plant" or "heat station," is a facility that generates thermal energy for a district heating network. It produces hot water or steam that is circulated through insulated underground pipelines to homes, businesses, and public institutions. Soojusjaamad may operate as a dedicated heat producer or as a cogeneration (CHP) plant, which simultaneously generates electricity and useful heat, increasing overall energy efficiency.

Common heat sources include natural gas, fuel oil, biomass, coal, and industrial waste heat, with renewable options expanding in many networks. Modern soojusjaamad may integrate high-efficiency boilers, CHP units, heat pumps, and energy storage such as large hot-water tanks or seasonal storage to balance supply and demand. Fuel mix and technology choices are influenced by fuel availability, policy targets, and price signals.

Distribution is carried by an insulated district heating network that delivers heat to substation equipment at customer sites, where it is converted into usable heat for space heating and domestic hot water. Operation relies on automated control systems, temperature and pressure management, and metering at each building for consumption-based billing.

Environmental and economic considerations include emissions reductions through efficient CHP and renewable fuels, energy losses in the network, and the impact of fuel prices and climate policy on operating costs and tariffs. Networks are typically designed to be reliable and expandable, with modernization efforts focusing on efficiency, decarbonization, and system resilience.

Estonia has a long-standing tradition of district heating, with many cities served by soojusjaamad that provide heat to large portions of the population. The term broadly covers facilities that supply heat to centralized networks, regardless of the specific technology or fuel used.