Joachim Nordin, CEO of Skellefteå Kraft, and Ann-Christine Schmidt, responsible for research, development, and innovation, state that the hydrogen plant currently under consideration is electricity-intensive and could, if realized, create more than a hundred new jobs.
Skellefteå Kraft emphasizes that the new facility is in the investigation phase and that a decision on whether to build it must be made within 12 to 18 months, probably in 2024. If this happens, the aim is to start production in 2028 and be fully operational in 2030. Analysis of everything from location to financing is now underway.
– The EU is working to become independent of oil and gas. Hydrogen is part of the solution. Our access to renewable energy allows us to do this on a large scale. There are several hydrogen projects in Sweden, but we are still at the beginning of this journey, says Nordin.
Skellefteå Kraft has been exploring hydrogen for several years, starting with the Zero Sun project at Skellefteå Camping. The experience from there has been the basis for the technology's further development. For the past two years, Skellefteå Kraft has had a hydrogen program with about ten people working on it full or part-time.
Much is happening rapidly in the field of hydrogen. The joint venture Hybrit in Norrbotten, owned by SSAB, LKAB, and Vattenfall, plans to produce sponge iron without fossil fuels using hydrogen. The process emits water instead of carbon dioxide as a by-product.
As part of the development of the Skellefteå project, a large delegation will visit Rotterdam for a study visit from Tuesday to Thursday this week. Rotterdam is home to Europe's largest port, and on its website the port states that it is working with various partners to implement a large-scale hydrogen network throughout the port complex, which "will make Rotterdam an international hub for the production, import, application, and transport of hydrogen to other countries in north-western Europe.
The delegation, which will include representatives from Skellefteå Kraft and Skellefteå municipality, will meet with city leaders in Rotterdam.
If the factory is built, Joachim Nordin notes that it will become another part of the cluster developing in Skellefteå around renewable energy, including Northvolt, Skellefteå Kraft, Arctic Center of Energy, and Skellefteå Airport. Hydrogen is now considered a way for the aviation and shipping industries to reduce their carbon footprints.
– We are at the forefront of the green transition, says Ann-Christine Schmidt, responsible for research, development, and innovation at Skellefteå Kraft.