Two evolving Nordic e-SAF projects have been simultaneously boosted as the region ramps up a range of initiatives to progress lower-emission air transport. In Finland, clean technology group Liquid Sun has raised almost €4 million ($4.2m) in fresh seed funding to construct an e-SAF production testing facility. As Finland’s first pre-commercial e-SAF demonstrator plant, it will initially be housed in a 66-square-metre shipping container. Meanwhile in Denmark, renewable energy investor Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), Copenhagen and Aalborg Airports and SAS Scandinavian Airlines have signed a collaboration agreement to support e-SAF production by Fjord PtX, an emerging renewable fuels business led by CIP, and to advocate for a Danish SAF sector. A new facility is due to open in late 2028.

Both projects will rely on renewable electricity produced in Nordic nations to help create green hydrogen, which, when combined with reprocessed carbon dioxide, will be used to create e-SAF and other non-fossil-based products.

Liquid Sun has been backed by investors including Voima Ventures, Failup Ventures and Business Finland as it pursues industrial-scale production using a new low-temperature electrolysis system. The company says its technology can be integrated into existing SAF infrastructures to enable price parity with fossil fuels, which, if verified, would address one of the biggest impediments to SAF uptake – its cost.   

As well as having access to abundant supplies of renewable electricity, says Liquid Sun, significant biogenic CO2 can be sourced from the Finnish forestry industry, providing the company with “an unexpected competitive advantage” not just in e-SAF production, but in making Finland a leader in the sector.

“Securing significant funding and oversubscribing the investment round in such a challenging market situation demonstrates that Liquid Sun has proven in a very short time to be a serious player in the e-fuel market,” said the company’s Chairman, Samuel Thesleff.

“Now the real work starts as we start scaling up the production of e-SAF to an industrial scale to help drive Finland towards its emission reduction goals and a cleaner future.”

“The Nordic region is uniquely positioned to take a leading role in e-SAF production,” added Pontus Stråhlman, a partner in Voima Ventures, the lead investor in the latest funding round.  

“There is an abundant renewable energy supply, supportive industry efforts and strong government backing. We firmly believe in Liquid Sun’s ability to open an entirely new market for more sustainable aviation.”

Co-investor Failup Ventures, a Finnish-US collaboration, describes itself as an investor “backing future leaders who create impact in society.”

“We’re excited to invest in Liquid Sun because they’re tackling one of the toughest problems out there – creating sustainable fuels for a cleaner future,” said Topias Soininen, General Partner, New York, for Failup Ventures. “This is exactly the type of work we love to support.”

In Denmark, renewable energy investor Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), SAS and Copenhagen and Aalborg airports have signed a collaboration agreement to help accelerate local e-SAF production.

They are supporting Fjord PtX, a new Power-to-X project based in Aalborg, North Denmark, which will deploy electrolysis technology at the 200-400 MW level to produce e-fuels including synthetic SAF.

The project, backed by CIP, plans to annually recycle 330,000 tons of CO2, mostly sourced from the Nordværk waste-to-energy incineration plant, to produce up to 75,000 tons of SAF, equating to 250% of the fuel required for Denmark’s domestic flights.

Construction of the new e-SAF plant will commence next year on a 20-hectare site near the Port of Aalborg, with production expected to begin in late 2028.

The renewable energy for the plant will be wind and solar generated, while the CO2 to be captured and repurposed by Fjord PtX is estimated to equate to the emissions produced by 17,000 houses.

As well as producing e-SAF and e-naphtha, excess heat from the new plant will be redirected to provide emission-free heating to around 11,000 houses in the Aalborg municipality, adding further value to the project.

The four partners will also work to build public awareness and regulatory support to speed the transition to a low carbon economy and demonstrate how it is possible to develop a ‘sustainability valley’ in Denmark, and more broadly across Scandinavian countries.

“We have been developing our project for the past three years,” said CIP partner Søren Toftgaard. “We urge European and Danish governments and authorities to step up by providing clear and supportive schemes, which will be key for the ramp up of this new industry. With the right frameworks in place, this partnership and Fjord PtX can become a cornerstone of Denmark’s sustainable future.”

“Our partnership combines expertise to drive shared sustainability goals,” added SAS President and CEO Anko van der Werff. “This agreement sets a strong foundation for our project, underscoring our commitment to an urgent transition. The opportunities ahead are simply too valuable to miss.”

“To achieve net zero emissions by 2050, it is essential to begin producing new fuels as soon as possible,” said Christian Poulsen, CEO of Denmark’s largest airport company, Copenhagen Airports.

Aalborg Airport’s CEO, Niels Kjær Hemmingsen, commented: “Aalborg is the ideal location for Fjord PtX, as it provides the essential resources needed to drive sustainable development. For Aalborg Airport, this collaboration is a key step towards fulfilling our ambitious sustainability goals.”

Photo: The site of the Danish Fjord PtX project under development by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners that aims to produce e-SAF