Green hydrogen refinery at Mustikkakakana in Utajärvi
Vetyalfa has launched a major green hydrogen refinery project in Utajärvi, North Ostrobothnia. The project is similar to the Vaala and Kemijärvi projects announced by Vetyalfa in 2024, which aim to build a hydrogen separation and refining plant with a capacity of 200-1000 MW.
The refinery would be based on renewable electricity. The electrolysers needed for the production of hydrogen would receive part of their electrical power from a solar power park to be developed at the same time, with a capacity of around 100-200 MWp. The plant would be connected to the existing electricity grid in the area, either 110 kV or 400 kV.
At its maximum capacity, the plant could produce 150 000 tonnes of hydrogen per year. The exact further processing of the hydrogen will be decided as the project progresses to meet market needs. Possible refineries include e-methane, e-methanol, ammonia or sustainable SAF aviation fuel.
Utajärvi Mustikkakangas is a zoned area, the plan for which is currently being updated. The municipality owns the land. The project area of the hydrogen refinery is 20 hectares. There are no special natural values in the area, but cultural heritage sites must be taken into account in the planning.
The site is connected to a nearby railway line, which allows the transport of raw materials to the hydrogen refinery and the transport of finished products.
The environmental impact assessment (EIA) process for the project will start in early 2025. The project could be completed and the new hydrogen plant could start up around 2028-2029.
At its maximum capacity of 1000 MW, the investment in hydrogen separation and downstream processing would be worth between €1 billion and €3 billion, depending on the downstream process. The added value of the end products from local wind, solar and hydro would largely remain in the region.
Including the processing industry, the direct employment impact would be up to 120 jobs. The indirect employment impact would be many times higher, from the complex supply chains in the technology sector to the extensive network of subcontractors, e.g. in repair and maintenance. Direct tax revenues for the municipality of Utajärvi would mainly come from property, municipal and community tax and local labour income tax.
