Port of Oulu Accelerates Green Transition

The Port of Oulu is preparing for significant green transition investments that will strengthen the region’s position as a hub for sustainable energy production and synthetic fuels.

The port’s updated master plan outlines developments through 2040, with the most notable changes driven by the emerging hydrogen economy. New port areas in Oritkari and the existing Vihreäsaari site will be zoned for chemical industry use. Key infrastructure upgrades include 400 kV substations and new quays to support future operations.

Earlier this year, French energy company Verso Energy secured a plot in Oritkari for a new plant dedicated to hydrogen and synthetic fuel production. The Port of Oulu’s TEN-T core network status and strong logistical connections were decisive factors in attracting the investment.

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Originally published on 3 Dec

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Northern Power 2026 Challenges Key Industries to Cut Emissions with Hydrogen

As the heaviest-emitting sectors of industry aim for lower carbon footprints, attention is increasingly turning to the hydrogen economy. Northern Power 2026, taking place in Oulu this February, brings together the companies and experts building practical pathways toward carbon-neutral steel, aviation, and shipping.

Nordic Hydrogen Week gathers hydrogen technology users and developers in Oulu from 10–12 February 2026. The three-day programme, examining the hydrogen economy from multiple angles, culminates in the Northern Power Business Forum at Oulu Music Centre, where the entire hydrogen value chain comes together to develop actionable pathways toward decarbonization.

This year, Northern Power’s programme focuses particularly on the off-takers of hydrogen in the steel industry, maritime sector, and aviation – all themes that hold unique opportunities from a Finnish perspective.

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Originally published on 3 Dec

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Hy2gen plans e-fuel plant in Finland – Oulu becomes largest e-fuel hub in the Baltic Sea Region

The German company Hy2gen has secured a strategic site in Vihreäsaari, at the Port of Oulu in northern Finland, for the development of a new facility to produce renewable hydrogen and synthetic fuels. They are used for decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors, such as the maritime and aviation industries.

The proposed 200 MW plant will position Oulu as the largest hub for synthetic fuel production in the Baltic Sea Region, based on the number of Power-to-X (PtX/P2X) projects currently in development.

“Hy2gen is very pleased to have secured a site for our project at the Port of Oulu”, says Hege Økland, Managing Director of Hy2gen Nordic. “We would like to thank the City of Oulu and the Port of Oulu for choosing us as their partner in developing this area. We look forward to future collaboration in bringing our project to life.”

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Originally published on 26 Nov

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Visidon Wins Oulu’s International Employer of the Year Award

This year, the International Employer of the Year in Oulu competition sought inspiring success stories with the goal of sharing best practices in international recruitment and strengthening Oulu’s reputation as an attractive hub for global talent.

The award decision highlighted that high-tech company Visidon has understood from the very beginning how international workers can strengthen business. Around ten percent of Visidon’s employees are international talents. The company offers equal opportunities for both Finnish and foreign employees. Language skills or the lack of them are not a barrier, as English is the official company language.

International employees are fully integrated into the work community and are not treated as a separate group. Visidon also has a tradition of organizing Nights of Culture events, where employees showcase aspects of their culture, such as food.

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Originally published on 14 Nov

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The Hola 5G Oulu project wins the Light Reading Leading Lights Award

A prestigious recognition in the ‘Outstanding Use Case: Driving Digital Transformation’ category went to the consortium involved in the project, Oulu University Hospital, Pohde – The Wellbeing Services County of North Ostrobothnia, University of Oulu, and WICOAR Technologies.  

The Hola 5G Oulu project marks Europe’s first private 5G network deployed in a live hospital environment, tested in high-stakes scenarios including patient wards and surgical theatres. Installed at Oulu University Hospital (OYS), the network delivers ultra-reliable, interference-free connectivity across patient wards and surgical theatres, introducing a new era of smart, responsive care.

Key highlights:

  • Private 5G standalone network: Ensures seamless, secure connectivity, even during blackouts 
  • AR Smart Glasses: Deliver live patient data to clinicians in surgical theatres and wards 
  • Voice Communication Headsets: Enable instant coordination across hospital wings 
  • Wing-to-Wing Coverage: Eliminates fragmented communication and boosts operational efficiency 

This project is funded by the European Union.

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Originally published on 24 Sep

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airBaltic to launch five direct scheduled flights weekly between Oulu and Riga

The Latvian airline airBaltic will begin direct scheduled flights between Riga and Oulu – the European Capital of Culture 2026 – in March 2026. The return flights will operate five days a week (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays) starting from 29 March until the end of October 2026.

Yrjötapio Kivisaari, CEO of Oulun Matkailu Oy, welcomes the new connection.

– We have been discussing the opening of this route in different settings for a long time. Now we finally have good news! airBaltic’s new connection strengthens the international accessibility of Oulu and the whole of Northern Finland at exactly the right time, bringing visitors to enjoy the cultural year’s offerings. Our clear goal is to establish the connection also for the coming years, Kivisaari says.

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Originally published on 2 Sep

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Energiequelle plans a green hydrogen park in Oulu

The European renewable energy group Energiequelle has reserved a site for a new hydrogen project to produce hydrogen in Oulu, northern Finland. When all three stages of project are fully completed, the plant could produce hydrogen by electrolysis with a capacity of over 500 megawatt (MW). The hydrogen plant would be commissioned in three phases between 2028 and 2033.

The first phase of the project would involve the construction of a hydrogen production plant of maximum 5 MW and a hydrogen refuelling station for buses and other heavy-duty vehicles. In the next phase, the capacity of the hydrogen production plant would be increased to 10-50 MW and hydrogen exports via the planned hydrogen pipeline and the port of Oulu could be an option, if the needed infrastructure is available. In the third phase, production would be further increased to an additional capacity of 100-500 MW. The schedule and full size of the project is highly depending on the market situation and the infrastructure available in the selected new greenfield site.

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Originally published on 10 Apr

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ABO Energy explores hydrogen and synthetic fuel production in Oulu

The German ABO Energy group has been granted a planning reservation to build a hydrogen production plant in Oulu in northern Finland. In the preliminary plan, the new hydrogen plant would have an electrolyser with a maximum capacity of 600 MW. Implementation would take place in 2-3 phases.

In addition to hydrogen production, the company is exploring the possibility of producing methanol and sustainable aviation fuel (E-SAF) in Oulu. The feasibility of synthetic fuel production depends on the availability of biogenic carbon dioxide. ABO Energy would offer the waste heat generated for use as district heating in the Oulu region.

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Originally published on 9 Apr

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Three new hydrogen plants planned for Oulu

The City of Oulu has been preparing to reserve land for three new hydrogen production and processing plants. The City’s aim is to actively promote green transition investments in its area. Advancing the planning of three new hydrogen plants will support the growth of hydrogen economy and the development of Oulu’s local hydrogen infrastructure.

The planning reservations for the Pyyryväinen site will be discussed by the City of Oulu Urban Environment Committee at its meeting on 8 April 2025. The site is a virtually undeveloped, large-scale industrial area of up to 800 hectares less than 10 kilometres from the centre of Oulu, next to the Välikylä industrial district. The area required by businesses ranges from 15 hectares to 41 hectares.

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Originally published on 3 Apr

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AMPlify – Accelerated US Market Entry for Finnish Healthcare Companies

AMPlify is an established platform designed to advance Finnish healthcare companies’ US market readiness and entry. Expanding upon the successful Nordic AMPlify and Gazelle programs, AMPlify is a complete ecosystem that brings Finnish companies and Mayo Clinic together.

With the US accounting for 40% of the global healthcare market and over 30% of new technologies emerging from collaborations with international partners, American health systems are evolving their innovation hubs into global co-development initiatives. AMPlify is leading this transition, and Mayo Clinic has picked Finland as a strategy focus area.

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Originally published on 2 Apr

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