The City of Oulu has been preparing to reserve land for three new hydrogen production and processing plants. The City’s aim is to actively promote green transition investments in its area. Advancing the planning of three new hydrogen plants will support the growth of hydrogen economy and the development of Oulu’s local hydrogen infrastructure.
The planning reservations for the Pyyryväinen site will be discussed by the City of Oulu Urban Environment Committee at its meeting on 8 April 2025. The site is a virtually undeveloped, large-scale industrial area of up to 800 hectares less than 10 kilometres from the centre of Oulu, next to the Välikylä industrial district. The area required by businesses ranges from 15 hectares to 41 hectares.
The plants would produce hydrogen and synthetic fuels processed from hydrogen, both for local use and for export via a new hydrogen pipeline all the way to central Europe and the Port of Oulu. Hydrogen would be produced from water by electrolysis in an emission-free way, using wind power and other potential renewable electricity. Hydrogen refinery products, such as sustainable aviation fuel (E‑SAF), are produced from hydrogen and biogenic carbon dioxide.
Earlier this winter, the City of Oulu and Verso Energy of France signed an agreement aiming at building a hydrogen processing plant in Oritkari, Oulu, near the port. Furthermore, local energy company Oulun Energia is planning to build a hydrogen production plant in Laanila, Oulu.
International companies involved
The first phase of Energiequelle Oy‘s project would involve the construction of a hydrogen production plant of up to five megawatts (MW) and a hydrogen refuelling station for buses and other heavy vehicles. In the next phase, the capacity of the hydrogen production plant would be increased by 10–50 MW and hydrogen exports would also be launched. In the third phase, production would be further increased by an additional 100–500 MW. The final size of the second and third phases will depend on the market situation and the infrastructure available at Pyyryväinen.
Energiequelle estimates that the employment impact after completion of the first phase would be around 10 jobs in plant operation, maintenance, administration and support activities. The employment impact of the second and third phases would be significantly higher. The phases would be completed between 2028 and 2033. Energiequelle Oy’s parent company is Energiequelle GmbH of Germany.
The size of the hydrogen plant planned by ABO Energy Finland Oy would be up to 600 MW. Implementation would take place in 2–3 phases if the project proceeds. In addition to hydrogen production, the company is also exploring the possibility of producing methanol from hydrogen as well as sustainable aviation fuel, E‑SAF, the realisation of which depends on the availability of biogenic carbon dioxide. ABO Energy would offer the waste heat generated for use as district heating in the Oulu region. The first phase could be deployed around 2034–2036. If realised, the hydrogen plant could employ at least 50–80 people, depending on the final size of the hydrogen plant. ABO Energy Finland Oy’s parent company is the German ABO Energy.
Furthermore, a third company is planning to build about 400 MW of electrolysis capacity for hydrogen production in the region. The first phase of the plant is tentatively scheduled to be deployed in 2030. The company estimates the employment impact of the project to be around 150–300 people when the plant is fully operational.
Oulu has green transition projects ongoing in Oritkari, Laanila and Pyyryväinen.
Further information for media
City of Oulu, City Deodesist
Veikko Lehtinen
+358 44 703 2612
veikko.lehtinen@ouka.fi
BusinessOulu, Key Account Director
Janne Hietaniemi
+358 40 649 1211
janne.hietaniemi@businessoulu.com
Energiequelle Oy, Head of New Business Development
Karl Schultheis
+358 50 452 2215
schultheis@energiequelle.fi
ABO Energy Finland Oy, Head of Development
Amanda Cardwell
+358 50 593 7802
amanda.cardwell@aboenergy.fi
About the companies
Energiequelle
Energiequelle has been an active international player in the energy sector since 1997. The company designs, builds and operates wind, solar and biogas plants, as well as substations, P2X projects and energy storage systems. Energiequelle currently operates in Germany, France, Finland, Poland, Greece, and South Africa. In Finland, the company is based in Helsinki and Vaasa, but its operations cover the whole country. The Energiequelle Group employs more than 600 people and has built more than 850 power plants with a combined capacity of more than 1,700 MW. Energiequelle is one of the leading companies in its field. The company has implemented a concept similar to the plans for Pyyryväinen, in cooperation with other players in the hydrogen economy in Bremerhaven, Germany, inaugurated in February 2025 by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
ABO Energy Group
ABO Energy was founded in Germany in 1996. The group operates in 16 countries and employs over 1,400 people. In 2024, the group had a turnover of €446 million and an operating result of €25.6 million. They have hydrogen project development activities in seven countries in Europe, Latin America, and Africa. The Hünfeld-Michelsrombach hydrogen refuelling station in Germany is the Group’s first hydrogen project that has progressed to construction. The station will be ready for deployment in spring 2025. The company’s name derives from the initials of founders Jochen Ahn and Matthias Bockholt. The founders and their families are still the main shareholders of the company.
About Oulu GH2 — Together towards green hydrogen business in Oulu and Northern Finland project aims to create a centralized hydrogen economy innovation ecosystem operating model for the region of Oulu and North Ostrobothnia. As part of the project, the hydrogen valley of the Bothnian Bay will be built by sharing information and bringing actors together, sharing news and best case studies, and effectively communicating them to different parts of the network by BusinessOulu. Oulu GH2 is funded by the Council of Oulu Region, which finances the project as part of the EU programme: A Rejuvenating and Skilled Finland 2021–2027, the EU’s regional and structural policy programme. JTF fund.