Energy tech manufacturer Asahi Kasei will deliver a 1MW-class alkaline water electrolyser to the Central Finland Mobility Foundation (Cefmof) in the city of Jyväskylä, Finland.
The electrolyser will generate green hydrogen at a refuelling station to be built by Nordic hydrogen refuelling station developer Vireon in central Finland as part of the country’s drive to decarbonise transport, initially targeting trucks and buses.
The station, part of a planned network of four, also marks a full shift into the commercialisation phase for Asahi Kasei’s hydrogen-related business, according to Kenji Takeda, Executive Officer.
“We will work with our partners to demonstrate the reliability of our alkaline water electrolysis system through installation in extreme cold-climate environments and [help to decarbonise] central Finland,” he said.
The Aqualyzer-C3 system is expected to begin installation towards the end of 2025, aiming for full-scale operation in the first half of 2026.
The technology – a small-scale, containerised system – can produce between 1MW and 7.5MW of green hydrogen. It was built on the back of Asahi Kasei’s 10 MW-class system, which has seen success at the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field in Japan.
Asahei Kasei’s 1MW containerised electrolyser. ©Asahei Kasei
Haruka Arai, Executive Director of Cefmof, sees the latest project as a “key part” of the emerging green hydrogen ecosystem in central Finland.
“This development supports the practical realisation of a functioning hydrogen refuelling infrastructure in Jyväskylä,” added Arai.
Cefmof, a foundation that targets the development of sustainable mobility, was created by the City of Jyväskylä, Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team, and the Toyota Mobility Foundation.
Last year, the foundation announced it had secured five Caetano H2 City Gold buses, which were originally expected to enter test use by July 2025 but will now be pushed back until the refuelling station is complete.
Finland aims to be carbon neutral by 2035, an ambitious goal compared to the EU’s target of 2050. To meet this, the country has made green hydrogen a key pillar of its decarbonisation strategy. This is highlighted by its intent to produce at least 10% of the EU’s green hydrogen by 2030.
To help meet this timeframe, the country plans to leverage its abundant wind and solar resources while benefitting from government aid.