Nordic Ren-Gas Names Its Full Technology Consortium for the Tampere E-Methane Plant

Nordic Ren-Gas has selected the full group of technology partners for its planned renewable e-methane production plant in Tampere, Finland, bringing together European suppliers across hydrogen production, carbon capture, methanation, electrification, heat recovery and automation.

Renewable electricity will be used to produce hydrogen, while biogenic carbon dioxide captured from existing energy production will be combined with the hydrogen to produce synthetic e-methane. Waste heat from the process will also be recovered for Tampere’s district heating network.

Sweco to Lead EPCm and System Integration

Sweco has been selected as the project’s Engineering, Procurement and Construction management (EPCm) partner and system integrator.

Its role includes coordinating the different technology suppliers and integrating their systems into a functioning production plant. Sweco has been involved in the Tampere project since its early planning phase.

The plant is being designed for flexible operation, allowing production to adjust to the availability and market conditions of renewable electricity while meeting the requirements for Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO).

Sunfire to Supply Electrolysers

Sunfire will provide the electrolysis technology required to produce green hydrogen.

The company was previously selected to supply 50 MW of pressurised alkaline electrolysis capacity, consisting of five 10 MW modules. The hydrogen will serve as one of the key feedstocks for the e-methane production process.

Hydrogen handling will be supported by SIAD Macchine Impianti, which will supply the hydrogen compressor system, while Tenaris will provide hydrogen storage technology.

Together, these systems are intended to support safe hydrogen handling and flexible plant operation.

Hitachi Energy to Provide Electrification

Hitachi Energy will supply the plant's grid connection and electrification systems.

Its scope includes a 145-kV SF₆-free EconiQ® gas-insulated switchgear system as well as power and distribution transformers. The solution is intended to provide the reliable electrical infrastructure needed for large-scale Power-to-Gas production.

Saipem to Handle Carbon Capture

The Tampere facility will use biogenic CO₂ captured from flue gases generated by existing energy production.

Saipem will supply the carbon-capture unit for the project. The captured CO₂ will then be liquefied and stored using technology supplied by Technofrigo by Clauger before being sent to the methanation process.

The project is designed around the use of approximately 40,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year, according to Nordic Ren-Gas's project information.

DWE to Supply Methanation Technology

At the centre of the e-methane production chain is the methanation process.

DWE will supply the methanation technology that combines renewable hydrogen with captured biogenic carbon dioxide to produce synthetic methane.

The resulting renewable e-methane can be used through existing gas infrastructure and as a fuel for applications such as heavy transport and other sectors that are difficult to electrify directly.

Araner to Integrate Waste Heat

The Tampere plant will also recover heat generated during e-methane production.

Araner will supply the heat-pump system required to raise the temperature of process waste heat so that it can be transferred into Tampere's district heating network.

Nordic Ren-Gas estimates that the project could provide district heating equivalent to the annual heat consumption of up to 35,000 apartments.

Valmet and Insta Automation to Support Flexible Operation

Automation will be an important part of the facility because RFNBO-compliant production requires detailed control and monitoring of electricity use, production timing and energy origin.

Valmet will provide the plant's top-level automation system, while Insta Automation will supply plant automation and process-control systems.

These systems will enable the facility to adjust production according to renewable electricity availability while supporting the monitoring and reporting requirements associated with RFNBO fuels.

Tampere Plant to Produce Renewable E-Methane and Hydrogen

Nordic Ren-Gas plans to develop the facility at the Tarastenjärvi circular economy area in Tampere.

The project is designed with 50 MW of hydrogen production capacity and 25 MW of e-methane production capacity, with production expected to start in 2028 according to the company's current project information.

The plant will combine several energy streams into one integrated system:

Renewable electricity → Green hydrogen → Hydrogen + biogenic CO₂ → E-methane

At the same time:

Process waste heat → Heat pump → District heating

This integration is intended to improve overall resource efficiency while creating renewable fuel for heavy transport.

European Technology Chain for Renewable Fuels

The selection of the full technology consortium marks an important development in Nordic Ren-Gas's Tampere project.

The consortium brings together Sweco, Sunfire, SIAD Macchine Impianti, Tenaris, Hitachi Energy, Saipem, Technofrigo by Clauger, DWE, Araner, Valmet and Insta Automation across the plant's major technology packages.

The project demonstrates an integrated Power-to-Gas model in which renewable electricity, hydrogen, biogenic carbon dioxide, synthetic methane and district heating are connected within one industrial system.

Nordic Ren-Gas says the Tampere facility is intended to demonstrate a complete European RFNBO value chain while supporting the wider transition toward renewable fuels for transport and other hard-to-abate applications.