Bio-LNG to Replace Fossil LNG – Groundbreaking Finnish Production Begins First in the Baltic Sea Region

Rohe Solutions started the production of Bio-LNG i.e. liquefied biomethane last Thursday, August 29, 2024, at the Hamina LNG terminal. Bio-LNG is produced using biomethane from the gas grid in a process called liquefaction from the grid.

Since last autumn, Rohe has been actively preparing to start the production, which is a significant step both for the company and the energy market in the Baltic Sea region. The Bio-LNG production will be done in collaboration with Hamina LNG Oy. The Hamina LNG terminal is now the third terminal in Europe where liquefaction from the grid is possible.

Liquefaction from the grid improves the capability of the gas system and enables more efficient use of the existing gas grid infrastructure. With the start of production, LNG users will have better possibilities of acquiring sustainably produced, ISCC EU certified Bio-LNG. This will also mean an increase in the demand for biogas for the producers that feed into the gas grid.

“The availability of Bio-LNG in Finland is currently still limited, as larger-scale biogas production projects are only in their early stages. Liquefaction from the grid is our response to the growing demand for biofuels, especially in the short term,” says Sanna Kokkonen, CEO of Rohe Solutions.

Bio-LNG Enables the Use of Biofuel Beyond the Reach of the Gas Grid

Rohe Solutions’ first delivery of Bio-LNG liquefied from the grid arrived in Estonia on Friday, August 30, to refuelling stations of Alexela, the parent company of Rohe Solutions. Rohe plans to increase the production of Bio-LNG and respond to the growing demand for biomethane in the Finnish market as well.

“We are excited that this long-prepared project that started already in 2017 with development of Hamina LNG terminal, one of the largest foreign direct investments from Estonia to Finland, has become a reality, and large-scale Bio-LNG liquefaction can start in the Baltic Sea region. This is another excellent demonstration of the cross-border cooperation and will increase the availability of renewable fuels not only in Finland and Estonia, but throughout Northern Europe”, comments Marti Hääl, the CEO of Alexela.

Kokkonen discusses the potential uses of Bio-LNG:

“The potential of Bio-LNG has been recognised in maritime and road transport, as well as in industry. We see this as the first step towards replacing LNG in Finland and its neighbouring areas with produced Bio-LNG.”

In comparison with pressurised biomethane that’s transported through the gas grid, the advantage of liquefied biomethane is its liquid form, which allows for transportation beyond the reach of the gas grid and thus to a wider area.