Provaris Energy Ltd (ASX:PV1) is partnering with Norwegian Hydrogen AS to develop one of the largest production facilities for green hydrogen in the Nordic region at Ørskog in the municipality of Ålesund.
The plant will boast a capacity of 270 megawatts (MW) when completed and will be a significant contributor to the European Union’s 2030 green hydrogen target and Norway’s aim to become a net-zero emissions country by 2050.
With a planned production capacity of 40,000 tonnes of green hydrogen a year, the plant can reduce CO2 emissions by more than 500,000 tonnes annually.
Illustration of the hydrogen production plant.
Competitive project
“Provaris is pleased to collaborate with Norwegian Hydrogen in developing Norway's largest production facility for green hydrogen,” Provaris managing director and chief executive officer Martin Carolan said.
“This is a large-scale project that will effectively meet both local demand for hydrogen and allow for flexible delivery of demanded green energy to Europe.
“The efficiency of our supply chain, based on compression, allows a flexible production, storage and transport solution that allows this to become a competitive project in the green shift.”
Regional effect
The plant has received approval for a production capacity of 20MW, while an application for a further 250MW capacity has been submitted for processing.
This project is expected to drive regional economic growth by creating more than 50 new jobs in Ørskog, including indirect ripple effects that will lead to more job opportunities in the region.
Additionally, the plant will generate oxygen and excess heat as by-products during the electrolysis process, which can be harnessed by nearby industries for a variety of uses.
Key player
Norwegian Hydrogen has laid the groundwork in recent years to assist Norway achieve its green ambitions.
The company recently launched Vireon, a new subsidiary that will establish a network of hydrogen filling stations across the Nordic region, and begin production of green hydrogen in Norway and Denmark later this year.
“Green hydrogen will be a key component in the transition to a zero-emission society, and we are happy to be part of this,” Norwegian Hydrogen chief executive officer Jens Berge said.
“We have a good dialogue with the local population and we experience Ålesund municipality as supportive and constructive.
“From Ørskog, a large volume of green hydrogen will be exported to Europe and part of the production capacity will cover the demand from customers in Norway.
“There will be great value created here, both for us and the business community in the region as a whole, and our contribution to reducing global emissions to such a significant extent is just as important.”