A business-led national hydrogen cluster began operating in Finland in February, and Suomen Kaasuenergia has joined it. The cluster aims to accelerate the development of Finland’s hydrogen economy.
In a hydrogen economy, hydrogen is an important part of the energy system, serving among other purposes as a store for renewable energy. At EU level, the emergence of the hydrogen economy, particularly the wider use of green hydrogen, is seen as an important part of achieving climate goals.
The Finnish hydrogen cluster aims to promote hydrogen-related business, exports and jobs in Finland.
“We want to help develop the low-emission energy system of the future,” Suomen Kaasuenergia CEO Mika Paloranta says.
“We believe hydrogen, biomethane and synthetic renewable gases will play a growing role as the energy transition advances. The hydrogen economy is the only route to carbon neutrality in steelmaking and many chemical industry processes, for example.”
Gas distribution and transmission networks will also be important in the future energy system
The hydrogen cluster’s steering group includes representatives from ABB, Aurelia Turbines, Gasgrid Finland, Fortum, Neste, SSAB, UPM and Wärtsilä. In total, just over 30 companies have joined.
The call to establish a business-led cluster was made in autumn 2020 by Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä. Industry associations involved in preparing the cluster include Finnish Energy, the Chemical Industry Federation of Finland, the Association of Finnish Steel and Metal Producers, the Finnish Forest Industries Federation and Technology Industries of Finland.
“Suomen Kaasuenergia owns approximately 900 kilometres of gas distribution network,” Paloranta notes.
“Gas distribution networks and the transmission network owned by Gasgrid will play a major role in transporting clean gases in the future energy system. The share of biomethane in the gas distributed through our networks is already growing steadily.”