Flexens expands its Kokkola project, plans hydrogen production alongside ammonia

H2Cluster Finland, a network of companies and industrial associations, has revealed that its member, the Finnish project developer Flexens, aims to start green hydrogen production with a capacity of 350 megawatts (MW) and integrate it with green ammonia production.

Specifically, the company plans to build a large green hydrogen plant along with an ammonia plant in the town of Kokkola, located on the west coast of Finland. To note, the town is known for a concentration of inorganic chemical industry and a deep-water port.

Jim Häggblom, Senior Project Manager at Flexens, said: “The port is one of the two that handle ammonia in Finland, and there are also storage facilities for ammonia right next to the port in the Kokkola Industrial Park.”

According to H2Cluster, those are important details for Flexens because the company aims to start the production of green ammonia by 2027, with an initial planned capacity of 200 000 tonnes per year.

Häggblom noted: “Ammonia is needed to make fertilisers, and presently it’s made mainly from natural gas. The availability of domestic green ammonia will strengthen Finland’s, and Europe’s, self-sufficiency in fertilisers.”

In regard to hydrogen production, Häggblom said: “Hydrogen is already being produced in the area, which guarantees an established and safe operating environment. There is also plenty of wind power available and a strong power grid.”

“Besides using hydrogen for ammonia production, we will also be able to sell it to others. There are already potential customers in the area.”

“We also have an opportunity to deliver waste heat from hydrogen production to the district heating network and offer steam from ammonia production to factories nearby.”

Häggblom estimated the whole investment to rise to over €700 million which will be provided by investors and supplemented by grants.

Flexens’ team will be supported by French hydrogen producer Lhyfe.

“Lhyfe will provide us with additional experience and valuable connections, for example, in the technology market. We are well prepared for a large project and already looking for new regions for new hydrogen projects as well,” Häggblom said.

To remind, in March 2023, Lhyfe became a major shareholder of Flexens with a 49% stake.