Last year, ABO Energy secured the land, and now the cooperation agreement with the city of Oulu in northern Finland is in place. The contract regulates cooperation in project development, spatial planning, approval procedures, and the necessary investigations and studies.
ABO Wind has not yet provided details on the final investment decision. This is expected to be made after further development work, technical evaluations, and economic analyses. Meanwhile, work is underway on the partial development plan for the proposed industrial area.
Expansion in several phases to up to 600 MW planned
An area of up to 41 hectares is planned for the project. According to ABO Energy, the electrolysis capacity is expected to increase to up to 600 MW in two to three development phases. Additionally, the company is examining the possibility of establishing downstream facilities for the production of synthetic methanol and sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF) at the site. This would allow the value chain at the site to be expanded. The waste heat generated during electrolysis is to be fed into the local district heating network.
“The development of green hydrogen projects requires the combination of infrastructure, renewable energy resources, and close cooperation with local stakeholders. We look forward to further exploring the potential of this project together with our partners,” says Amanda Cardwell, Head of Project Development at ABO Energy Suomi, the Finnish subsidiary of ABO Energy.
Oulu aims to become a hydrogen hub in the Baltic Sea region
The city of Oulu aims to establish itself as a Nordic hydrogen location. According to its own statements, it has the largest project pipeline for the production of green hydrogen in the Baltic Sea region. More articles on the projects around Oulu can be found here on H2international.
“Our goal is to build the entire hydrogen value chain – from production to further processing to end applications. I am very pleased that our long-standing cooperation with ABO Energy is now taking the next important step,” explains Ari Alatossava, Mayor of Oulu.
Oulu has favorable electricity prices, an industrial base, and research expertise. The Oulu region describes itself as the most important center for renewable energy production in the country. The University of Oulu is considered one of the leading centers for hydrogen research in Finland.
Connection to planned Finnish hydrogen network
At the national level, the transmission system operator Gasgrid Finland is working on plans for a hydrogen transport network that will connect central production and consumption sites. Oulu also has an international deep-water port, which is part of the European TEN-T core network, as well as rail and road connections for international supply chains. This could allow the site to serve both the Finnish market and be used for the export of hydrogen and its derivatives.
