Freija has begun the front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies for a large-scale green hydrogen-based e-methanol project in Finland.
The Norwegian company, based in Oslo, has selected a 150,000 square metre site in Nokia, the Tampere region, and has issued the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) programme report.
The project will be based on a capex and opex efficient development concept and will be produced in up to three phases. Freija expects to take a final investment decision (FID) on the plant in 2026, with the first production earmarked for 2029.
The aim is to produce e-methane from green hydrogen and biogenic CO2, with each phase producing 58,000 tonnes of green fuel per year. Furthermore, it will comply with the EU’s Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO) definition.
“The Tampere region is the ideal location with the capacity to scale, access to biogenic CO2, renewable power supply, strong local partners and closeness to export ports and the national gas grid,” explained Kristian Hauglum, the CEO of Freija.
“European heavy transport and shipping companies are driving strong demand for e-methane as they seek to reduce emissions and comply with EU regulations,” the CEO added.
Transport accounts for 16% of global CO2 emissions. Freija stated that e-methane from one of its plants will enable removal of 200,000 tonnes of carbon annually when replacing fossil fuels.
Hauglum continued, “Freija has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a majority of the volume from the first plant and we are progressing negotiations for additional substantial volumes which will support long-term value creation for all stakeholders.”
Reidar Strande, the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Freija, said, “We have a highly efficient plant design enabling economies of scale, flexible operations and lower costs by utilising power price variations created by increased intermittent renewable energy production.
“This is backed by a dedicated team with extensive industry experience and proven project execution capabilities from building and operating gas infrastructure.”
The news follows Liquid Wind’s announcement to develop a 100,000-tonne-per-year green hydrogen-based e-methanol plant next to Turun Seudun Energiantuotanto existing Naantali 4 power plant, also in Finland.
Read more:Liquid Wind, TSE eye 100,000-tonne hydrogen-based e-methanol plant in Finland
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