Electrofuel developer Liquid Wind has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with energy company Umeå Energi and shipping firm Wasaline to explore the sale and purchase of eMethanol for Wasaline’s ferry operations. This collaboration is centered around the eFuel facility, FlagshipTHREE, currently under development in Umeå, Sweden, by Liquid Wind and Umeå Energi.
The LoI marks a significant step towards examining the potential for Wasaline to fuel its 2021-built hybrid ferry, Aurora Botnia, with eMethanol produced locally. The Aurora Botnia, equipped with dual-fuel engines and batteries, operates between Vaasa, Finland, and Umeå, Sweden. This partnership aims to fully decarbonize the ferry service on this route, aligning with the vision of creating a green corridor between the two cities.
Peter Ståhlberg, Managing Director of Wasaline, expressed enthusiasm about the initiative, highlighting the importance of investigating electrofuel options like eMethanol that support local production and minimize transport distances.
Jan Ridfeldt, CEO of Umeå Energi, emphasized the value of the cross-border collaboration with Liquid Wind and Wasaline in driving toward a sustainable future.
Claes Fredriksson, CEO and Founder of Liquid Wind, shared his pride in partnering with Wasaline to supply eMethanol for the Aurora Botnia ferry. He noted that the LoI demonstrates the strong potential and increasing demand for eFuels in the Nordic region and beyond, underlining efforts to establish local and regional infrastructure for electrofuel supply in Northern Sweden.
The FlagshipTHREE facility is set to produce 100,000 tons of eMethanol annually starting in 2027, following an environmental permit application submitted at the end of 2023, with construction planned to begin in 2024. This facility will leverage biogenic CO2 from Umeå Energi’s Dåvaverket cogeneration plant and green hydrogen derived from renewable electricity and water to produce eMethanol.
Liquid Wind’s pioneering electrofuel project, FlagshipONE, was acquired by Danish offshore wind developer Ørsted in December 2022, with construction starting in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, in May 2023. Meanwhile, the second facility, FlagshipTWO, is underway in Sundsvall, with its production anticipated to commence at the end of 2025.
