Norwegian e-fuel specialist Norsk e-Fuel is planning to expand its operations to Finland. The company – now investing abroad for the first time ever – has reserved a 14-hectare land area in Rauma on the western coast of Finland.

Together with the energy company Fortum and the Port of Rauma, Norsk e-Fuel will now start with electricity grid connection planning and permitting processes to establish an e-Fuel production facility in Rauma.

In cooperation with Fortum and the Port of Rauma, Norsk e-Fuel will begin the planning of the area’s electricity connections and the permit processes for establishing an e-fuel production plant. The project is also the first outside Norway as the company expands its operations in Northern Europe.

By entering into a strategic partnership agreement with Fortum for site development, Norsk e-Fuel has secured sufficient space for an e-Fuel plant with an annual production volume of up to 100 million litres. Most of the product will be refined into synthetic sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) to provide fossil-free fuels to the aviation industry.

– We are currently working on the permits and detailed project plans for the project. One aspect of this is our work to prepare for the Environmental Impact Assessment, says Karl Hauptmeier, CEO of Norsk e-Fuel.

Wanted: Sustainable power

According to the CEO, Finland offers a unique combination of advantages for the e-Fuel industry – one of them being power.

– Finland has one of the cleanest grids in Europe and is continuing to have significant investments in new clean power generation. This, in addition to past and planned major investments in the transmission grid, offers great potential for energy-intensive industries, he says.

Hauptmeier notes that it is not only the aspect of power that made the company expand into Finland.

– The potential of approximately 24,4 million tons of bio-based CO2 ready for capture, access to well-developed transportation infrastructure and a strong workforce of highly educated people made the decision easy for us.

Teaming up with Boeing

The Rauma site can play an important role in increasing the supply of eSAF across Europe. EU regulations require aviation fuel suppliers to gradually increase the share of eSAF blended with conventional aviation fuel at EU airports, starting with a blending obligation of 1,2% in 2030 and rising to 35% by 2050. Given the energy-intensive nature of eSAF production, reliable grid connection and availability of clean power are essential.

Boeing and Norsk e-Fuel have just announced that they will start developing aviation fuels together. What’s the significance of this move?

– Boeing’s investment is supporting our entire project pipeline and this includes Rauma, Hauptmeier says.

Targeting performance

Finnish energy company Fortum is committed to promoting Green Transition – and the company has its own unit that helps industry players find suitable plots for their operations. Jyrki Holappa, head of Fortum’s Customer Site Development team, says that cooperation with Norsk e-Fuel began in autumn 2023.

– Our attention was soon drawn to the Rauma Port area, and we recognized that there was potential here, Holappa explains.

The land in question is partly owned by the Port of Rauma. The land is mainly owned by the City of Rauma and leased to the port.

– In order to enable new operations, the plot needs development in terms of both zoning and power issues, but the overall situation is solid, due to the logistical connections offered by the port.

Gas network is crucial

Gasgrid is a very important partner for Fortum.

– Building a hydrogen network is an undertaking with great national significance. Gases are needed in the Green Transition, Holappa says.

Holappa says that, ultimately, Fortum always wants to champion the cause of decarbonization. In terms of regional development, this means a variety of things, from production plants to data centers:

– Our focus is on large, power-intensive projects where we can genuinely help our customers, Holappa concludes.