Inside the EnergyVaasa cluster: VEO

What new trend in clean energy is most exciting – or most challenging – for your company right now and how are you responding to it?

Our most recent success story is VEO eHPG, the hybrid turbine governor eHPG is a pioneering solution that genuinely integrates energy storage with the frequency reserve regulation of hydropower turbines. As renewable energy sources with variable outputs become increasingly integrated into the grid, the demand for balancing power rises. The eHPG vital as it ensures precise control, keeping the grid stable and the distribution undisturbed.

After its launch, VEO’s hybrid turbine regulator eHPG has undergone extensive field testing in diverse conditions. The results have exceeded even the most optimistic forecasts. The eHPG, which integrates hydropower with energy-storing technology, reduces mechanical movement on the turbine by up to 90%, significantly extending the lifespan of hydropower equipment while improving overall performance.

The eHPG was designed to address the challenge of mechanical stress in hydropower turbines caused by continuous regulation adjustments. It integrates dynamic energy storage and efficiently controls both the storage and the turbine in response to changes in network frequency.

Read more here, here and here.

What’s next for this innovation – and where do you hope it leads?

We expect customers to realize how much needed this innovation is both from a lifecycle and revenue perspective. We are also looking into developing the solution to be used in other types of powerplants.

If a startup joined the cluster today, what’s the first thing you’d tell them to do?

Engage with cluster companies, share your vision, and build meaningful connections—collaboration drives EnergyVaasa forward. Networking opens doors, so be bold in seeking support. The idea you carry might just hold the power to solve global challenges, so don’t hesitate to ask for support.

What role does collaboration with the cluster play for you?

Collaboration is a core part of how we operate. Within the cluster, we both collaborate and, at times, compete on specific projects or deals. VEO acts as a spider in the web—working with suppliers to develop their products and solutions, while also creating and delivering our own solutions for customers within the EnergyVaasa cluster.

This dynamic collaboration is what drives us forward and makes things happen.

Give an example of how you used the EnergyVaasa cluster network!

We arrange client events and roadshows together, ensuring visitors and clients experience the full scope of what we do and how we collaborate in Vaasa. By bringing them to multiple companies, we showcase the strength of the cluster. We also co-develop solutions and products—something that has always been, and always will be, at the heart of our way of working. This joint effort is what drives our progress.

What is your role in the company and what does your workday look like?

I’m a project manager, but I’m also responsible for sales in VEO’s Wärtsilä new build power plant business. My day is quite a mixture of a lot of things. If I’m not preparing an offer for the new control system, I’m taking care of one or (most likely) more projects by having weekly meetings with our own project group or with the customer’s project group. I answer tens of e-mails during the day. I might visit our production to co-operate with our production team. I also need to have meetings with our logistics for approaching delivery, tie all the involved parties that we are able to deliver the project on time. I might also host a meeting to some visitors or auditors or perform for example some internal audits.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about your work?

I guess somebody might be surprised how diverse this job is at the end. You never know how the day is going to end, even you have certain expectations and schedule for it. Surprisingly many challenges to be solved during the day, it’s not just doing according to plan. Some might think that the job is an easy task just to forward e-mails and drink coffee, but the reality is far from that.

What’s one project or achievement you’re especially proud of?

I have been involved in a few challenging but interesting projects that have lasted much more than our normal lead time projects. Those projects have been with several solutions we had not done before, and it has been an interesting journey to learn new things in both technical and project management point of view. The achievement is there, when you can finally close the project in the ERP-system and call the project delivered.

If budget and time were no issue – what dream project would you launch tomorrow?

Tricky question. It would probably be something else than a standard project without any challenges. It could be some kind of development project to solve all the questions we go through during the projects and those which are raised as issues in the closure meetings. All experts available. Of course, when the existing tasks have been solved, new ones always come up. But let’s not worry about that.

What advice would you give someone seeking opportunities in the EnergyVaasa cluster?

If this is from the job seeking point of view, my message is: don’t hesitate to look for multiple opportunities within the Energy cluster. If you look a bit out of the box also, there might be your future dream job waiting for you.

What is your role in the company and what does your workday look like?

I work as a Lead Engineer. My days vary: at the office I focus on design work, guiding other designers, reviewing drawings, and communicating with clients and suppliers. I also often participate in FAT, SAT, or site inspections, where the work is more hands-on—inspecting suppliers’ work, testing equipment and circuits, and solving practical issues.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about your work?

How many different ways there are to design e.g. a substation, and how unique each project is. Copy-paste projects are very rare.

What’s one project or achievement you’re especially proud of?

I’m always proud when a client returns to VEO for new projects. It shows that, despite challenges during a project, we’ve delivered real value. Continuity is always VEO’s goal.

If budget and time were no issue – what dream project would you launch tomorrow?

I would build a bridge from Vaasa to Umeå, filled with wind turbines and other renewables along the way.

What advice would you give someone seeking opportunities in the EnergyVaasa cluster?

Be eager and patient. Listen to others, but also trust your own thinking. And don’t take work too seriously.

How does your work contribute to the clean transition?

VEO is an important partner in the transition to a clean and a sustainable future. We enable the green transition by connecting renewable energy to the grid, recovering excess heat for district heating, and supporting hybrid technologies in marine and industry sector. Our automation and electrification solutions help stabilize and optimize energy systems. In addition, VEO also tracks the carbon footprint and aim for carbon neutrality by 2030, while embedding sustainability into every part of our strategy and operations.

What drives innovation and development in your company?

Customer-Centric Co-Creation Innovation at VEO is deeply rooted in close cooperation with our customers. We actively engage in feedback discussions and tailor our development based on real-world use cases and business needs. This ensures that our products and services evolve in ways that deliver tangible value.

Also, Sustainability as a Foundation. Sustainability is not just a goal—it’s a driver of innovation. From emissions tracking to CSRD preparation, our development efforts are aligned with environmental responsibility. This commitment also strengthens our position in the renewable energy market and also guides us in our development of products, solutions and services.

In short, what does your company do, where do you operate and who are your customers?

VEO specializes in delivering energy, automation and electrification solutions, particularly for high-voltage and medium-voltage systems but also advanced and robust low-voltage systems. Ours services covers:

• Engineering and design
• Production and commissioning
• Lifecycle support
• Turnkey EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) projects

We are deeply involved in modernizing energy infrastructure, including substations, control systems, and dispatch centers as well as heavy duty low-voltage solutions for both industrial and maritime segments.

Our headquarters are located in Vaasa, Finland with four additional locations in Finland in addition to our premises in Sweden, Norway and UK. Our main market is the Nordic countries but international deliveries are continuously increasing over time.