The German ABO Energy group has been granted a planning reservation to build a hydrogen production plant in Oulu in northern Finland. In the preliminary plan, the new hydrogen plant would have an electrolyzer with a maximum capacity of 600 MW. Implementation would take place in 2-3 phases.

In addition to hydrogen production, the company is exploring the possibility of producing methanol and sustainable aviation fuel (E-SAF) in Oulu. The feasibility of synthetic fuel production depends on the availability of biogenic carbon dioxide. ABO Energy would offer the waste heat generated for use as district heating in the Oulu region.

The first phase is planned to be operational around 2034-2036. For the new green transition industrial area of Pyyryväinen, the plant would be implemented by ABO Energy Suomi Oy, the parent company of which is ABO Energy KGaA of Germany.

Several other hydrogen production and H₂ derivative projects have already been initiated in the Oulu region. Gasgrid Finland plans to establish a hydrogen transport infrastructure to connect Oulu’s hydrogen production with the rest of Finland and other European countries, including Germany. Other hydrogen production companies have also decided to invest in Oulu, attracted by the international port of Oulu, biogenic carbon dioxide sources and the European TEN-T transport network. The University of Oulu is also a centre of hydrogen research, providing the city with both high-quality hydrogen expertise and a large pool of hydrogen specialists to meet companies’ workforce needs.

This land reservation is only a preliminary decision; a final investment decision will be made later.

ABO Energy (formerly known as ABO Wind) develops and builds wind and solar farms as well as battery storage and hydrogen projects. Founded in 1996, the Germany-based company has realized 6.4 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity to date and has built around half of them. The company’s annual investment amounts to one billion euros. More than 1,400 employees on four continents work with enthusiasm on the development, planning, financing, construction, operational management, and maintenance of plants for a sustainable energy supply.