Renewable energy complex with terminal for hydrogen production to be built in Liepaja Port

RIGA - Construction of a renewable energy complex with a terminal for a hydrogen production facility is being planned in the Port of Liepaja, Liga Ratniece-Kadege, a spokeswoman for the Liepaja Special Economic Zone (SEZ), told LETA. 

In order to create added value for the electricity produced from renewable sources, Norwegian, Swedish and Latvian companies have established CIS Liepaja, a project management team that will conduct the necessary research and develop the renewable energy complex with a terminal in the Port of Liepaja, including a hydrogen production facility.

Liepaja SEZ Authority has concluded a two-year reservation contract with CIS Liepaja.

The project's lead partner, Clean Industrial Solutions Holding, aims to invest in innovative and sustainable development solutions while promoting the circular economy.

Clean Industrial Solutions CEO Tor-Arne Pedersen informed that the total planned investment into the hydrogen plant and terminal in the port area could be around EUR 1 billion. The plant is planned to have a capacity of 1,000 megawatts (MW), with the capacity to produce around 150,000 tons of hydrogen.

"The future hydrogen market is huge. For Latvia in general and Liepaja in particular, this is a great opportunity to become the first large hydrogen production base in the whole European Union", Pedersen said.

According to Liepaja SEZ CEO Uldis Hmielevskis, CIS Liepaja is a project aimed at contributing to the production of CO2-neutral energy to the EU internal market. One of the first modern hydrogen plants, it will be a successful match with Fokker Next Gen N.V., the new generation hydrogen powered aircraft assembly plant at Liepaja Airport. "And these are not the only projects we are implementing together with businesses to transform port operations and industry in line with Europe's Green Deal," Hmielevskis said.

The new renewable energy complex in Liepaja is expected to create at least 80-100 new jobs for highly skilled specialists.