As the renewable energy sector gains momentum across the world, a recent announcement has unveiled that Western Finland will be named as Europe’s newest hydrogen valley hub. The world has quietly overlooked the potential that hydrogen has stored away for far too long, while the rest of the renewable energy sector receives significant investments from industry experts looking to cash in on the boom. Now, Finland is set to become the spiritual home of the hydrogen sector in Europe through the newest hydrogen valley hub.

The EU has established a clear framework to accelerate the energy transition towards renewable power

With the end of European imports of Russian-made oil and gas, the continent has faced the uncomfortable reality that it would need to diversify its energy production sector to compensate for the loss of energy supply. The latest sanction by the EU and the United States has further accelerated the need to invest in new energy generation methods on the continent.

The EU has established a clear and precise framework to achieve a successful transition towards the renewable energy sector. That framework calls for more work to be done to strengthen the standing of the renewable energy sector. In that regard, Finland has emerged as a regional leader with a new plan to allocate the entire west coast of the country for a hydrogen hub.

The west of Finland has become the epicenter of the hydrogen energy sector in Europe

Finland has become the spiritual home of the planned implementation of what could be the largest hydrogen hub on the continent. The EU has officially designated the Western region of Finland as the BotH₂nia Hydrogen Valley under its Clean Hydrogen Partnership program. The valley in question covers a vast region including Southwest Finland, North Ostrobothnia, Pirkanmaa, Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, Satakunta, and Sea Lapland.

The BotH₂nia hydrogen valley is set to deliver vast amounts of the innovative energy resource

Finland’s government has welcomed the new plans to make the Western region of the country the home of hydrogen in Europe. At the moment, the region produces more than two-thirds of Finland’s wind power, making Finland one of the cheapest destinations for electricity purchases.

By the end of the decade, the BotH₂nia hydrogen valley is forecasted to produce approximately 300,000 tonnes of clean hydrogen annually, mostly coming from the electrolysis powered by renewable energy. The project is expected to bring in roughly $3.4 billion in investments, marking Finland as the home of the hydrogen sector in Europe and a key driver of the sector globally.

Europe is investing heavily in the hydrogen sector to become the fuel of the future

Finland has noted that 17 distinct hydrogen value chains have already been identified, with a forecasted annual investment of over $400 million in research and development. Finland’s European neighbor, Austria, has also seen significant investments in hydrogen infrastructure as of late. This points to a broader acceptance of the potential that hydrogen has in transforming Europe’s energy market.

Europe is also set to see a new hydrogen transportation corridor in the near future

Europe sure is making waves in the global energy market. The continent boasts some of the largest and most impactful hydrogen projects on the globe. Spain recently reported that Enagas is making progress on the H2Med hydrogen corridor that will enable hydrogen-curious nations to jump on board the renewable energy train. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the known universe and has been overlooked for far too long, not just in Europe, but across the whole world too. Thanks to a renewed interest and substantial investments, that reality is changing faster than speedy Gonzales.