🇫🇮 Fortum to pilot hydrogen production in Loviisa
Fortum is building a hydrogen production test plant in Loviisa. The plant will be located in the Källa area near Fortum’s Loviisa nuclear power plant, on land owned by Fortum. Construction of the plant will start in summer 2024 and it is expected to be operational by the end of 2025.
Hydrogen is produced by electrolysis, the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen using an electric current, with a capacity of about two megawatts from the national grid and from Loviisa’s domestic water. A filling station will be built next to the plant, from where the hydrogen will be transported to industrial customers. The pilot plant will be fully financed by Fortum’s research and development funds and the design work will be carried out mainly by in-house engineers. The Kalla pilot plant is expected to be operational for about two years between 2025 and 2028, with a total R&D investment of about EUR 17 million. In line with its strategy, Fortum intends to explore hydrogen in small-scale projects in the Nordic countries in a phased approach.
“Testing hydrogen production at the Kalla pilot plant in the megawatt class will provide valuable information not only for the design and operation of potential larger plants, but also on the business opportunities for green hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives. The pilot project is a first step towards possible future projects and investments. In addition to the pilot plant, we have several other hydrogen-related studies in progress, involving customers and partners from different industrial sectors,” says Satu Sipola, responsible for Fortum’s P2X business.
Hydrogen produced from clean electricity can replace the use of fossil fuels and raw materials in many industries, such as steel or fertiliser production. Hydrogen is versatile due to its chemical properties and can be used for many different purposes: as an energy carrier in its own right, to replace fossil coal in steel and iron production, and as a sustainable fuel.
“Fortum has a strong position in clean energy production, and we are working with our industrial customers to find solutions to reduce their carbon footprint. We want to promote the use of clean hydrogen in the Nordic countries together with our customers, and we are working closely with companies in the forestry, steel, chemical and transport industries, among others, on research.” Sipola continues.
Originally published on 7 May by BotH2nia.
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