Finland has plans to develop a hydrogen transmission network to cut down carbon emissions and strengthen the long-term security of its energy supplies in the wake of its decision to stop using Russian gas, reported Reuters.
Finnish Finance Minister Annika Saarikko was quoted by the news agency as saying that Gasgrid Finland would develop the network over the coming years.
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Gasgrid Finland is a state-owned entity that has been mostly handling natural gas from Russia until now.
Although Finland has numerous other sources of energy, including nuclear, it is keen on increasing the use of hydrogen, which can help in decreasing carbon emissions if it is generated using renewable power.
Saarikko added that Gasgrid Finland will set up a subsidiary to build the hydrogen transmission network, to begin with Finland, and then abroad.
The minister also said that the production of hydrogen would be left to private entities.
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By GlobalDataThis network would comprise three ’hydrogen valleys’, with two of them located on the western coast near current wind power infrastructure and the other in the southeastern part of the country.
The network cost would be initially funded from the existing capital of Gasgrid.
Development work of this network will begin in southeastern Finland near the Russian border with a 15km hydrogen pipeline running from chemicals producer Kemira’s fertilizer plant in Joutseno to steelmaker Ovako’s facility in Imatra.
Saarikko added: “Also from the perspective of security of supply, we will ensure that these infrastructure networks that are considered such important strategic state assets, will remain in our own hands, just as it is for natural gas and electricity.”
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Image: Gasgrid Finland will set up a subsidiary to build the hydrogen transmission network. Credit: David Mark from Pixabay.
