At its “Hydrogen-powered Finland” -stakeholder event on 17 April 2024, gas transmission system operator Gasgrid published a preliminary plan for Finland’s hydrogen backbone. Gasgrid has been mandated to implement the hydrogen infrastructure and to use it to bring operators together in the hydrogen economy and to accelerate the creation of a hydrogen economy. The national hydrogen infrastructure will enable the creation of a hydrogen market and a significant new sector in Finland.
Gasgrid published preliminary alternative route plans for Finland’s hydrogen infrastructure, which will be used to promote the development of the infrastructure with industrial operators, project developers, and municipalities, among others. The company aims to develop a hydrogen infrastructure that meets the needs of operators and an open hydrogen market by the early 2030s.
The preliminary alternative route plans are based on a market consultation carried out by Gasgrid in 2023. The market consultation was used to map the transmission needs of hydrogen producers and users in Finland.
“At the moment, most of the wind power projects announced are located on the west coast of Finland, and a large part of Finland’s carbon dioxide emissions originate in Southern Finland, which means that in the first phase, the hydrogen infrastructure will be built mainly in coastal areas. Going forward, our goal is to involve more operators in the hydrogen sector in the implementation of a hydrogen backbone covering the whole of Finland,” says Sara Kärki, Senior Vice President, Hydrogen Development, Gasgrid Finland.
“The market consultation is still open to map the project plans of project developers and companies. We still hope to receive many more responses to the survey to support follow-up steps in our route planning,” says Heli Virkki, Hydrogen Valley Lead at Gasgrid.
“In addition to the consultation, Gasgrid has identified opportunities related to the development of the hydrogen economy across Finland and seeks to activate operators, especially in areas where project development is still in the early stages. Potential areas for the future development of the hydrogen infrastructure are Eastern, Central and Northern Finland, where new wind or solar power production may emerge. The active participation of the regions will ensure the implementation of a hydrogen backbone covering the whole of Finland,” Kärki says.
Mapping of concrete route alternatives with counties and municipalities to begin in early summer 2024
Gasgrid will be able to start mapping concrete route alternatives together with counties and municipalities during spring 2024. “Feedback on route alternatives will also be collected from companies and project developers involved in the development of the hydrogen economy to support further planning of the routes. In the first phase, route discussions will be organised with the counties and municipalities through which, based on the first alternative route plan drafts, the hydrogen backbone would run,” Virkki says.
Event recording and other material
More information about Finland’s national hydrogen infrastructure is available in Finnish and in English.
The market consultation is still open to map the project plans of project developers and companies. You can response to the survey from here.
At Gasgrid’s stakeholder event was also discussed about the situation of Balticconnector and the Finnish gas market, as well as the role of the Inkoo LNG terminal in safeguarding Finland’s security of supply. You can check out the presentation material (in Finnish) from the event on 17 April 2024 here. A recording of the event, a Q&A section and other materials will be added in Finnish to the website in the coming weeks.
For more information and media contact
Sara Kärki, Senior Vice President, Hydrogen Development, Gasgrid, sara.karki(at)gasgrid.fi,
+358 40 158 1722
Heli Virkki, Hydrogen Valley Lead, Gasgrid, heli.virkki(at)gasgrid.fi, +358 50 564 2426
Media contact: viestinta(at)gasgrid.fi