The pilot aims to establish a functioning ecosystem and value chain for synthetic fuel production in Finland. The EU’s sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) blending mandate creates an opportunity for Finland to become a significant producer of synthetic fuels in the future. 

Finnish company Liquid Sun is launching a globally unique pilot project to produce renewable, sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) from biogenic CO₂ emissions. Originating from research at Tampere University, Liquid Sun has developed an innovation based on low-temperature electrolysis (LTE) technology that converts CO₂ emissions and renewable hydrogen into eSAF. For this pilot, Liquid Sun has partnered with Finnair, ABB, Fortum, and Finavia. In Finland, biogenic CO₂ emissions are generated, for example, by the forest industry and biogas plants. 

The pilot electro-fuel production unit, to be located in Espoo, will be fully operational in autumn 2025. This is the first pre-commercial production pilot of its kind, aiming to establish a functioning ecosystem and value chain for synthetic fuel production in Finland. In this collaborative project, the companies will jointly develop eSAF production, conduct validation, and build capabilities for globally scalable processes to secure the future supply of domestically produced sustainable aviation fuel. 

“Finland has the opportunity to become a leading producer in the rapidly emerging sustainable aviation fuel market. To achieve this goal, it is critical that the project brings together industrial partners across the eSAF value chain with a shared ambition to accelerate the transition to sustainable fuels,” says Pasi Keinänen, CEO of Liquid Sun.