Fortum, Norsk e-Fuel to collab­orate on SAF project in Rauma, Finland

Photo: Fortum Corp.

Norwegian company Norsk e-Fuel and Fortum Corp. have agreed to reserve a 14-hectare (34.6-acre) area for a synthetic sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) plant at the Port of Rauma in Finland.

This is Norsk e-Fuel’s first project outside Norway and is part of the company’s long-term strategy to support Europe’s net-zero targets by 2050.

The project is in its early stages, and Norsk e-Fuel has not yet made an investment decision. 

Fortum and Norsk e-Fuel, together with Port of Rauma, will begin planning the area’s electrical connections and permit processes for establishing the eFuel production facility.

The plant’s annual production could reach 100 million liters (26.4 million gallons) of liquid fuel, produced through electrolysis using clean electricity and captured carbon dioxide.

Most of the production will be eSAF. 

The location of the Port of Rauma, with direct sea and rail connections and a strong industrial ecosystem, makes it an ideal location for new industrial projects, Fortum stated.

With this project, Rauma can play a significant role in increasing the supply of eSAF in Europe.

EU regulations require aviation-fuel suppliers to gradually increase the share of eSAF in conventional aviation fuel at EU airports, starting with a 1.2 percent blending mandate in 2030 and rising to 35 percent by 2050.

A reliable electricity grid and access to clean electricity are essential for the electricity-intensive production of eSAF.

“Fortum is committed to promoting the transition to a clean-energy future,” said Urs Pennanen, the senior vice president of corporate customers at Fortum. “We are pleased that Norsk e-Fuel is considering Rauma as the location for a new production facility. Decarbonization is a joint effort that requires the support and commitment of all stakeholders including local communities, industrial players and policymakers. Our role is to support industry in reducing emissions by developing sites for investment and being a partner in energy matters.”