(Ørskog / Norway) – Norwegian Hydrogen AS is planning to build what it describes as “Scandinavian’s largest production plant for green hydrogen” in the Norwegian coastal region of Sunnmøre. When fully expanded, the factory will have a capacity of 270 megawatts and can produce 40.000 to 50.000 tons annually. 20 megawatts have already been approved and the application for a further 250 megawatts has been submitted.
The location is Ørskog in the municipality of Ålesund. From there, “a large amount of green hydrogen will be exported to Europe, and part of the production will meet demand from customers in Norway,” says managing director Jens Berge.
Floating storage for hydrogen
Norwegian Hydrogen cooperates with Australian Provaris Energy Ltd. The company is developing a solution for storing and transporting compressed hydrogen by ship. The collaboration began in January 2023 with an initial feasibility study on the production and export of hydrogen from the Nordic countries to the most important ports in Europe, such as Rotterdam, Eemshaven at the mouth of the Ems and Hamburg.
The planned joint project uses floating pressure storage devices from Provaris (H2Leo) and two transporters (H2Neo). The delivery costs for the hydrogen would be in a range of 1,00 to 1,50 euros per kilogram. This includes compaction, storage, loading at the pier, shipping and unloading. The first exports are planned for 2027.
Germany and the Netherlands are considered important import locations for hydrogen in large quantities, says Provaris, and are well advanced in the planning and development of an open cross-border hydrogen backbone (“hyperlink”) in northern Germany. This creates a connection to end users in industrial centers, such as steel mills and refineries.
Norwegian Hydrogen wants to start producing green hydrogen this year, starting with a three-megawatt electrolysis facility in Hellesylt on the Sunnylvsfjord. Norway aims to become a net-zero emissions country by 2050 and particularly emphasizes green hydrogen as one of the most important factors in achieving this goal.
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Norwegian Hydrogen wants to build a 270 megawatt electrolysis plant in the municipality of Ålesund. The green hydrogen will be stored in Provaris floating pressure storage systems and then exported. © Norwegian Hydrogen AS
