Energy company Freija AS has announced plans to build a major e-methane production facility in the Finnish town of Nokia – the original home of the former phone giant.
The announcement yesterday is a victory for Finland, which targets hydrogen and e-fuel production to maintain its prosperity, even as it decarbonises its economy.
E-methane is a carbon-neutral fuel produced by combining renewables-based hydrogen with captured carbon dioxide and has a key role in decarbonising transport modes like maritime and aviation.
Kristian Hauglum, the CEO of Freija, a Norwegian company, cited Finland’s ambitious environmental goals, highly skilled workforce, and strategic location in Tampere as reasons for choosing the region.
The production facility is also touted as one of the largest in Europe and will be operational in 2029.
Finland’s strength in innovation has been an economic boon for the country, encapsulated by the success of former global phone maker giant Nokia. At its peak, Nokia produced 40% of all mobile phones worldwide, and between 1998 and 2007, it was responsible for a quarter of Finland’s economic growth.
But when Nokia failed to make the leap to the smartphone era, Finland felt the hit – and it now wants to re-capture some of that ‘magic’ with e-fuels.
In early 2023, the government decided to target the production of hydrogen and related e-fuels for domestic use, but also with an eye on “high-value-added export businesses,” according to Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä.
Production of e-fuels is power-intense, so competitively-priced and low-carbon e-fuels need electricity that is also cheap and clean – just like Finland’s.
With a mix of hydro, solar, wind and bioenergy, the country’s electricity generation in 2022 was 54% renewable. Power prices have been consistently lower than those of other EU countries since the 2022 energy crisis.
A similar e-methane plant is being developed on Lake Tarastenjärvi in Tampere, a city northwest of Helsinki, with production possibly starting as early as 2026. Another billion-euro investment in the southwestern town of Pori aims to capture carbon emissions from existing power plants for fuel production.
To fuel its ambitions the country has been busy scooping up European money via the EU’s Innovation Fund, with € 270 million allocated to projects in the country already.
Additional reporting by Nikolaus J. Kurmayer.
(MM)
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Publish date : 2025-01-22 07:39:00
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The post Finland hopes e-fuels can recreate the Nokia magic first appeared on Love Europe.
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Publish date : 2025-01-22 17:00:04
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