GEN-H and Hycamite plan 200–300 MW emission-free balancing plant in Kotka
- Planned 200–300 MW balancing power plant in Kotka using natural gas processed into hydrogen with no CO2 emissions.
- Adjacent solar plant of up to 100 MWp will be built on the Hietanen port area.
- Site connects to the national Gasgrid network and has an on-site 145/270 MW electrical connection.
- Hycamite's methane decomposition produces hydrogen for rapid-response turbine combustion and solid carbon as an industrial raw material; hydrogen is claimed cheaper than electrolytic hydrogen.
Project overview
GEN-H and Hycamite are developing a 200–300 MW balancing power plant on the former Sunila pulp mill site in Kotka, paired with an adjacent solar farm of up to 100 MWp. The facility is designed to ramp electricity output quickly to balance wind and solar variability and can supply local industry or feed the national grid.
Technology and emissions
Hycamite's equipment decomposes methane into hydrogen and solid carbon. The recovered hydrogen is combusted in gas turbines producing only water vapor, while solid carbon is recovered for industrial use. The process is presented as generating no greenhouse gas emissions from decomposition or combustion, and hydrogen production is described as requiring a fraction of the energy of electrolysis.
Site and grid integration
The Sunila site is already connected to the national natural gas network operated by Gasgrid and has an on-site 145/270 MW electrical connection. Existing pipeline access and industrial infrastructure are being leveraged to accelerate feasibility work and enable a rapid investment decision for the balancing plant.
Cluster and next steps
The balancing plant is part of a broader Sunila development that includes renewable generation, storage, hydrogen-based systems, piloting activities and an industrial cluster; building permits are being processed and old pulp equipment is being dismantled to prepare the site.
Source: Hycamite