In the future Finland could produce hundreds of terawatt hours’ worth of hydrogen each year, and become one of Europe’s most important producers of hydrogen, according to Fingrid, which maintains Finland’s national electricity grid, and Gasgrid Finland, which is responsible for natural gas transmission in Finland, maintaining and developing gas transmission infrastructure in Finland and the virtual gas market trading platform.

“Finland’s potential for hydrogen production is easily sufficient for domestic needs and export”, says Mikko Heikkilä, Head of Strategic Grid Planning at Fingrid.

Fingrid has already signed more than 5000 MW worth of connection agreements for projects scheduled for completion in 2022–2024. Fingrid has received a total of 150,000 MW worth of inquiries about joining the main grid. Most of the inquiries are for land-based wind power. If all the projects pan out, they would produce about 500 TWh of electricity a year. Of this theoretical potential, nearly 450 TWh could be available for the needs of new industry, which would correspond to the production of more than 300 TWh of pure hydrogen.

Demand for hydrogen in Europe is expected to increase sharply. Estimates made before the war in Ukraine anticipate demand in 2050 to be as high as 1500-2300 TWh. Estimates for demand in the 2030s will probably increase as the war alters energy policy in the EU countries.

Finland will be able to produce plenty of hydrogen without emissions. About 90% of Finland’s electricity is already produced without emissions, and the price of electricity is among the lowest in Europe. Finland is getting large amounts of wind power because conditions for wind energy are favourable, the country is sparsely populated, and the electricity transmission infrastructure is already very strong. Finland also has plenty of hydropower and the latest nuclear reactor was deployed this spring.

Finland’s gas transmission network company, Gasgrid Finland, and the national grid operator Fingrid joined forces in the spring of 2021 to examine the possibilities of a hydrogen economy in Finland, as well as the role of the country’s energy infrastructure in enabling the use of hydrogen in energy production.  The recently published interim report of the “Energy Transmission Networks as enablers of a hydrogen economy and a clean energy system” project puts forward the opportunities offered by an electricity and hydrogen transmission infrastructure would have for the energy system.

“A hydrogen infrastructure pipeline can promote flexibility in the energy system, efficient energy transmission, and reduce risk to producers and consumers, once the infrastructure unites many producers and consumers with each other”, says Sara Kärki, Head of Strategic Analysis & RDI at Gasgrid Finland.

Gasgrid Finland has also taken part in the European Hydrogen Backbone group, comprising European gas transmission network operators. The group has created a vision for the development of a European hydrogen network. According to the vision, a hydrogen pipeline network would gradually grow out of regional hydrogen valleys into an extensive international network. The hydrogen network envisioned for the Bothnian Arc region would link hydrogen production emerging in the coastal areas of Finland and Sweden with areas with industrial demand for it.  According to the European Hydrogen Backbone vision the hydrogen pipeline could later extend from Finland all the way to Germany, which would enable the widespread export of hydrogen for the needs of industry in Central Europe.

Both Fingrid and Gasgrid Finland are part of the BotH2nia network, whose aim is to create a cross-border concentration of hydrogen industry to surround the Northern Baltic.

Interim report in English:
https://www.epressi.com/media/userfiles/107305/1647268774/fingrid-gasgrid-intermediate-report-energy-transmission-infrastructure-as-enabler-of-hydrogen-economy-and-clean-energy-system.pdf