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Nordic Cooperation for a Just Transition to Hydrogen

16 February 2025

Nordic Cooperation for a Just Transition to Hydrogen

Finland, Sweden, and Norway face similar challenges regarding land use conflicts and the social acceptability of large-scale hydrogen projects, as well as the new energy production and electricity distribution needs associated with them. These shared challenges are valuable to address and discuss…

Trump takes subsidies away from US hydrogen industry

21 January 2025

Trump takes subsidies away from US hydrogen industry

The new US President Donald Trump signed an executive order right out of the gate, calling on all government agencies to immediately suspend subsidies to industries such as the zero-emission hydrogen industry.

Hydrogen events for members - BotH₂nia sets up an H₂ ecosystem

Hydrogen events for members - BotH₂nia sets up an H₂ ecosystem

In 2025, the BotH₂nia association's calendar is full of activities for members. Every quarter, we plan to organise a members-only event for BotH₂nia members, bringing together new and familiar players in the hydrogen derivate chain around the same table. We network, discuss hydrogen derivative news…

Matti Malkamäki

Local impact of hydrogen transition in Pori

11 December 2024

Local impact of hydrogen transition in Pori

JustH2Transit participated in the two-day seminar "The time of new energy?" in Pori, 3-4 December 2024, which brought together national and international experts to discuss the societal impacts of the energy transition and the future hydrogen economy. During the seminar, the first Hydrogen Impact…

Six reasons why Europe needs BotH₂nia Hydrogen Valley

11 November 2024

Six reasons why Europe needs BotH₂nia Hydrogen Valley

The BotH₂nia association is applying for official hydrogen valley status for BotH₂nia Hydrogen Valley through the EU’s Clean Hydrogen Partnership. The proposed valley, situated in the northern Baltic Sea region, covers five of Finland’s coastal NUTS3 areas: Satakunta, Ostrobothnia, Central…

BotH₂nia Hydrogen Valley in a Nutshell

BotH₂nia Hydrogen Valley in a Nutshell

With a total committed investment of 3.6 BEUR in its 8 value chains, the BotH₂nia Hydrogen Valley will be a leading hydrogen region by 2030. The broad collaboration of project developers, global and local companies and research institutions support Finland’s transformation in becoming one of…

Finland’s west coast rallies round hydrogen – New high-profile project seeks 20 million Euros

The project BotH₂nia Hydrogen Valley brings together hydrogen economy actors in four regions. Merinova is the spider in the web of the project that aims to create a so-called Hydrogen Valley on the west coast of Finland.

Key Features of Land Use Planning Requirements in Finnish Hydrogen Projects

Key Features of Land Use Planning Requirements in Finnish Hydrogen Projects

Many hydrogen projects are currently in the development phase, where the questions regarding land use planning are topical. However, due to the rapid progression of hydrogen economy, the current regulatory framework does not unequivocally take into account all special characteristics of hydrogen…

A hydrogen valley can lift Finland from an investment slump

A hydrogen valley can lift Finland from an investment slump

Finland needs hydrogen valleys that are more than just hubs for the hydrogen industry. They can help us get investment in Finland going.

Matti Malkamäki

BotH₂nia association and hydrogen valley to collaborate - let’s start building the H₂ economy in a big way

BotH₂nia association and hydrogen valley to collaborate - let’s start building the H₂ economy in a big way

If you want to build something big, you have to think big. BotH₂nia was originally established to create a vibrant hydrogen economy on the edge of the Baltic Sea. Now, we are supporting an effort to raise millions of euros from the EU to build a single hydrogen economy across national and provincial…

Matti Malkamäki

How will the bio, circular and hydrogen economy intersect?

27 January 2024

How will the bio, circular and hydrogen economy intersect?

What do the bio-, circular- and hydrogen-based economies have in common? What do we know about how they will fit together in the future - and what should we know?

Constitutional debt brake threatens to crush Germany's hydrogen dreams

23 January 2024

Constitutional debt brake threatens to crush Germany's hydrogen dreams

Germany was planning to move away from coal and gas with hydrogen. Hydrogen would smooth out fluctuations in wind and solar power. The tight debt brake in the German constitution is now blocking the necessary investment and perpetuating Germany's dependence on imported fossil fuels.

JustH2Transit: scenarios help us navigate in uncertain conditions

19 January 2024

JustH2Transit: scenarios help us navigate in uncertain conditions

The JustH2Transit project is creating a range of possible futures for the hydrogen transition. The launch of a multidisciplinary debate on what a justified transition to a hydrogen economy would look like inspired participants at the first scenario workshop in Tampere in January.

Hydrogen plant comes to life in virtual model

7 December 2023

Hydrogen plant comes to life in virtual model

The first production plant for green hydrogen in Finland will be constructed in Harjavalta in 2024. The plant’s developer, P2X, relies on Sweco’s industrial expertise and digital services. A virtual model brought the unique hydrogen plant to life while the construction is still underway.

Germany to start building hydrogen infrastructure next year - Lufthansa would take half of Germany's electricity production

20 November 2023

Germany to start building hydrogen infrastructure next year - Lufthansa would take half of Germany's electricity production

Germany is now creating a hydrogen market. Hydrogen network construction in Germany will start as early as next year. The Nordic countries now need big players in the market.

National Hydrogen Network grows into an international network of regional hydrogen valleys

26 October 2023

National Hydrogen Network grows into an international network of regional hydrogen valleys

As the market matures, so do the communication and interaction models to create a single hydrogen economy in the northeastern corner of Europe.

BotH₂nia went to Pirkanmaa - and what did we learn?

22 September 2023

BotH₂nia went to Pirkanmaa - and what did we learn?

Development in the hydrogen economy is fast. In Tampere, a lot can happen in one day.

BotH₂nia went to Germany - what did we learn?

12 September 2023

BotH₂nia went to Germany - what did we learn?

BotH2nia and some twenty hydrogen companies and other organisations from the Nordic countries visited central Germany in early September to explore the rapidly developing hydrogen market. It is now worthwhile for the Nordics to learn to operate in the large German market.

Hydrogen pipeline alignment plan for Satakunta

5 September 2023

Hydrogen pipeline alignment plan for Satakunta

Prizztech, a business development company, has prepared a study on the alignment of a hydrogen gas pipeline in Satakunta. The regional alignment study is reportedly the first of its kind in Finland.

Latest Developments in Hydrogen Regulation

5 September 2023

Latest Developments in Hydrogen Regulation

The extensive regulatory framework guiding the hydrogen and power-to-x economy is finally taking shape.

Meri-Katriina Pyhäranta

District heating plant will be connected to hydrogen production in Tampere

District heating plant will be connected to hydrogen production in Tampere

Nordic Ren-Gas is planning a synthetic fuels production plant in Tampere. The new plant will be built next to Tammervoima's Tarastenjärvi power plant. Tampereen Energia and Ren-Gas are in the process of concluding a long-term agreement for the supply of carbon dioxide and the purchase of waste heat.

Pirkanmaa seeks its role in national and international hydrogen value chains

Pirkanmaa seeks its role in national and international hydrogen value chains

This year, the hydrogen economy potential and weighting of Pirkanmaa in the hydrogen value chain will be explored in a joint project between the Council of Tampere Region, the University of Tampere and the City of Tampere, called Pirkanmaa Hydrogen Economy Activator. The project will also build the…

BotH2nia went to SuomiAreena: What did we learn?

BotH2nia went to SuomiAreena: What did we learn?

Finnish hydrogen industry players built a dedicated Vetyareena—or Hydrogen Arena—in this year’s SuomiAreena, Finland's most significant annual public debate forum. This year, SuomiAreena was held in Pori from 27 to 30 June. The Vetyareena event offered a comprehensive overview of Finland’s hydrogen…

If you want to build a hydrogen valley, move now!

If you want to build a hydrogen valley, move now!

Competition between regions in hydrogen business have started. Primary movers among regions have already left, and now it is critical to be a fast follower.

Kaisa Penttilä

Finland nearly invisible at Europe's largest hydrogen event

Finland nearly invisible at Europe's largest hydrogen event

Finns and Swedes were almost completely absent from the World Hydrogen Summit 2023, which took place in Rotterdam from 9 to 11 May 2023. Of Finnish companies, only Valmet and Q Power had stands at the trade fair in conjunction with the event. There were no Swedish or Estonian companies on the…

Hydrogen production equipment is born from Estonian-Finnish cooperation

Hydrogen production equipment is born from Estonian-Finnish cooperation

In the lobby of Elcogen's headquarters in Ülemiste, Tallinn, there is a map of the world with markings all over the planet. The Estonian company's products have already been delivered to many places. Especially in Asia, there are many flags as signs of success.

Synthetic fuel production is being piloted at Bioruukki

Synthetic fuel production is being piloted at Bioruukki

Juha Lehtonen, Research Professor at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, presents the equipment containers brought to the yard of VTT Bioruukki Pilot Centre. The electrolyser module next to the containers produces hydrogen.

Help for accessing the German hydrogen market

Help for accessing the German hydrogen market

Dr. Oliver Weinmann is one of the key figures in the German hydrogen economy. He is the chairman of DWV, the German Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association.

Hydrogen is hard on valves

Hydrogen is hard on valves

Under pressure, the hydrogen molecule H2 cracks metal and can even penetrate steel. Hydrogen fracture weakens the tensile strength and ductility of steel, which reduces its resistance to fracture and causes cracking.

Germany's new decisions boost Finland's energy exports again

Germany's new decisions boost Finland's energy exports again

Yesterday, the German government made several decisions on energy policy that may also have an impact on Finland, especially through the development of the hydrogen market. Here are a few highlights.

New EU rules adopted for renewable hydrogen

24 February 2023

New EU rules adopted for renewable hydrogen

On 13 February 2023, the Commission adopted new rules defining the conditions under which hydrogen and hydrogen-derived fuels or other energy carriers may be considered renewable. The adopted delegated act supplements the Renewable Energy Directive (the “RED II”) by establishing a methodology…

Meri-Katriina Pyhäranta

12 February 2023

Clarity needed for hydrogen rules — Current status of the regulation guiding the renewable hydrogen production

Hydrogen regulation is currently subject to several legislative processes at the EU level that are expected to bring some long-awaited clarity to the various hydrogen market participants.

Meri-Katriina Pyhäranta

9 February 2023

Hydrogen investment - Balancing climate objectives and regulation

Almost every presentation we have heard on the hydrogen economy over the past year has contained the following message: one of the main, if not the main, factor holding back investment at the moment is the incomplete regulation on hydrogen.

Meri-Katriina Pyhäranta

Finland and Sweden to be built into a single hydrogen economy

7 February 2023

Finland and Sweden to be built into a single hydrogen economy

Finnish companies, municipalities and other hydrogen actors are currently setting up a joint hydrogen economy area with their Swedish counterparts with the BotH2nia project. This cooperation is needed to ensure that the northern end of the Baltic Sea becomes a strong hydrogen economy region that…

Hydrogen pipelines connect Finland and Sweden to new German hydrogen pipelines

22 December 2022

Hydrogen pipelines connect Finland and Sweden to new German hydrogen pipelines

Transmission system operators (TSOs) in various Baltic Sea countries are planning to run hydrogen gas pipelines from Finland and Sweden to Germany.

BotH2nia went to the Netherlands, and what did we learn?

12 December 2022

BotH2nia went to the Netherlands, and what did we learn?

Here are my top nine takeaways from a four-day visit to Rotterdam and Amsterdam during the Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference 2022 (OEEC) as part of the delegation invited by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO):

The green transition needs collaboration across the world - Ostrobothnia and Chile have much in common in the hydrogen economy

22 November 2022

The green transition needs collaboration across the world - Ostrobothnia and Chile have much in common in the hydrogen economy

Living at the edge of the world is truly concretized once you get the chance to travel to the other side. This experience was made tangible during the first week of November 2022, when I had the chance to travel to the city of Punta Arenas in Magallanes, the region closest connected to the Antarctic…

Kaisa Penttilä

Obstacles to wind projects identified - how can movement forward be achieved?

17 November 2022

Obstacles to wind projects identified - how can movement forward be achieved?

In order to identify the barriers to wind power projects, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment commissioned a study on barriers to wind power projects by FCG Finnish Consulting Group and published the results on 4 October 2022.

Meri-Katriina Pyhäranta

Analysis: wind, industry and hydrogen pipeline to bring Finland's largest hydrogen plant to Kokkola

15 November 2022

Analysis: wind, industry and hydrogen pipeline to bring Finland's largest hydrogen plant to Kokkola

A significant investment of €500 million in hydrogen in Finland: project development company Flexens announces the construction of a 300 MW hydrogen plant in Kokkola. The plant will use renewable electricity to produce hydrogen and further produce ammonia.

This is the municipality’s way to attract hydrogen companies

11 November 2022

This is the municipality’s way to attract hydrogen companies

When a municipality attracts hydrogen companies to its area, the way is to follow CEPD principle: contacts, experience, profitability and demand. Here are some examples.

Many SME industrial operators have a lot to offer in the green hydrogen market

10 November 2022

Many SME industrial operators have a lot to offer in the green hydrogen market

Huge market potential brings business opportunities throughout the hydrogen value chain

Video: how the LUT University gas separation laboratory works

28 October 2022

Video: how the LUT University gas separation laboratory works

LUT University's new gas separation laboratory is investigating how to remove carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere in a cost-effective way. Lappeenranta is home to Finland's largest research unit for separation and purification technology. A new video shows how the laboratory works.

Swedish prestudy on Swedish-Finnish hydrogen pipelines completed

19 October 2022

Swedish prestudy on Swedish-Finnish hydrogen pipelines completed

The prestudy on hydrogen pipelines for transporting hydrogen across the border from Finland and for long distances in northern Sweden is completed. The result shows that hydrogen pipelines may be needed as a complement to power lines for industry's large hydrogen and energy needs in northern Sweden.…

University of Oulu experts study hydrogen from several angles

11 October 2022

University of Oulu experts study hydrogen from several angles

The University of Oulu has become one of the most important centres for hydrogen research in Finland. The University of Oulu's holistic vision of the future of hydrogen is based on a strong interdisciplinary approach.

Good potential for large-scale synthetic fuel production in eastern and south-eastern Finland

13 September 2022

Good potential for large-scale synthetic fuel production in eastern and south-eastern Finland

Eastern and south-eastern Finland have good potential for synthetic fuel production, according to a new report. The study region has significant renewable electricity production potential, and ample amounts of bio-based carbon dioxide—both of which are crucial ingredients for developing new…

Companies making progress in the utilisation of hydrogen

Companies making progress in the utilisation of hydrogen

The first large-scale hydrogen projects have already been launched around the Gulf of Bothnia. The companies presented their projects between 5 and 6 May 2022 at the BotH2nia Goes Oulu & Raahe event. Some 60 people were on hand to listen to the presentations at the University of Oulu and Raahe Event…

Researchers at the University of Oulu study reducing emissions by using hydrogen in several different ways

Researchers at the University of Oulu study reducing emissions by using hydrogen in several different ways

The University of Oulu has become one of the most important hydrogen research centres in Finland. Researchers at the University of Oulu presented the results of their hydrogen research on Thursday, 5 May 2022 at the BotH2nia Goes Oulu event. Some 60 people were on hand to listen to the presentations…

Could emission-free hydrogen be produced in a way that requires little or no electricity?

Could emission-free hydrogen be produced in a way that requires little or no electricity?

In the Finnish and EU hydrogen strategy, the aim is to produce hydrogen mostly through electrolysis. This requires a huge amount of zero-emission electricity. Other carbon-free means of producing hydrogen are also needed. Cutting-edge methane pyrolysis and future solar hydrogen technologies could be…

Hydrogen and administrative action

Hydrogen and administrative action

Licensing and zoning processes are generally considered very time-consuming parts of a project’s path from early planning to the launch of production. On the other hand, when preparing for major projects, meticulous planning in areas such as business, infrastructure, contracts, funding, and…

Marketta Nummijärvi

Finland well set to build a powerful hydrogen economy

Finland well set to build a powerful hydrogen economy

Finland is very well placed for building a hydrogen economy thanks to its abundant wind power, according to Fingrid Head of Strategic Grid Planning Mikko Heikkilä and Gasgrid Finland’s Head of Strategic analysis & RDI Sara Kärki.

Sustainably produced European hydrogen brings us security of supply

Sustainably produced European hydrogen brings us security of supply

To maintain security of supply, Europe needs hydrogen produced in a sustainable manner in its area. So far, calls to promote the use of hydrogen have primarily been based on the idea that hydrogen will help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, the war in Ukraine has shown that European…

Hydrogen changes Sweden

Hydrogen changes Sweden

Hydrogen will be much more than just a fuel for energy transformation in Sweden. Hydrogen will make Sweden look very different from what it is today. The government estimates that about 100,000 new inhabitants will be needed in the two northernmost counties by the year 2035 — a 20 percent increase…

Hydrogen cooperation launched in Northern Ostrobothnia

Hydrogen cooperation launched in Northern Ostrobothnia

R4H2 – REACTions for Hydrogen is one of the ongoing local hydrogen projects in Finland. Local projects exchange experiences with the national Hydrogen Network, which consists of public sector operators. This means the parties BotH₂nia are partners. For this reason, the views of the parties are also…

From ideation to project plan

18 February 2022

From ideation to project plan

A second seminar for the project H2 Ecosystem Roadmap (for Ostrobothnia) was arranged remotely on 10 February 2022. Kaisa Penttilä, from Hanken, acted as moderator, and the central objective was to gain deeper insights into the process from ideation to project planning within the hydrogen theme.

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