P2X SOLUTIONS: Hydrogen Producer Eyes Synthetic Fuels Opportunity
P2X Solutions has inaugurated its hydrogen production plant in Harjavalta. The site has electrolysis capacity of 20 MW, and the company has organised offtake agreements with partners across various industries. CEO Herkko Plit tells Energy Focus about the company’s success and its ambitious plans for the future.
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Interview with Herkko Plit, CEO
P2X Solutions is moving with intent. In 2022, the Finnish hydrogen pioneer told Energy Focus of its clear ambitions: build the foundations of a green hydrogen economy in Finland and scale quickly. Now, with its Harjavalta plant fully operational, that ambition is no longer theoretical. It is tangible, producing molecules, securing customers, and shaping what comes next.
At Harjavalta, the shift from construction to operation marks a defining moment not only for the company, but for Finland’s wider energy transition. The facility, a 20MW green hydrogen production plant, has become a live demonstration of how industrial-scale hydrogen can be produced reliably and integrated into real-world applications.
“Harjavalta is up and running. Construction and commissioning is complete. We have been producing hydrogen for more than a year, and we know that the unit is reliable and capable of delivering hydrogen for our customers,” explains CEO Herkko Plit. That sense of reliability is critical in a market still searching for proof points.
What makes Harjavalta particularly significant is not just its output, but its versatility. The plant is already expanding beyond hydrogen into synthetic fuels, reinforcing the company’s belief that the future energy mix will be more complex than a single solution. “We are also starting our e-methane deliveries from the unit and that is very good as it means Harjavalta is working as planned,” Plit adds.
This operational success has been built on a deliberate strategy. Rather than chasing scale immediately, P2X Solutions opted for a phased approach, starting with a manageable capacity and using it as a learning platform. “This is why we started with a 20MW project – we knew there would be challenges. It’s easier to start here and learn than jump into a 100MW project and make bigger mistakes.”
That decision is now paying dividends. Harjavalta has provided the company with invaluable experience across the full project lifecycle. “There is a lot of work and there are always issues that have to be resolved, but that is just part of the project lifecycle,” Plit says. “We have the mentality of problem solving and not ignoring.”
FOUNDATIONAL
Beyond the technical achievement, Harjavalta has also positioned P2X Solutions at the centre of Finland’s emerging hydrogen ecosystem. The plant has secured EU Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO) certification for its products, a crucial milestone that validates the sustainability credentials of its output and aligns with EU regulatory frameworks.
“We are the first to do this here and there is plenty of green energy available which has helped us achieve RFNBO certification for both of our products,” Plit notes.
The company has wasted little time in building out its customer base. Hydrogen from Harjavalta is already being used across multiple sectors, from industrial applications to mobility and aviation pilots. “We have our industrial customers who have been using hydrogen but are now able to turn to locally sourced green hydrogen and increased their sustainability across the value chain,” says Plit.
At the same time, the company is actively exploring new frontiers. “We are working in the airspace sector and the mobility space with the refuelling facility. We have also been piloting in the e-SAF sector and they require green hydrogen. This is a very interesting new opening.” These early-stage projects are critical in proving the viability of hydrogen and synthetic fuels in hard-to-abate sectors.
Combined with supply agreements and partnerships with organisations such as Finavia, Fortum and Sunfire, P2X Solutions is building a network that extends far beyond a single facility.
ONGOING EXPANSION
With Harjavalta firmly established, attention is now turning to the next phase of growth. The company’s roadmap is clear: scale up production, diversify outputs, and replicate its model in new locations. At the heart of this strategy is the upcoming project in Joensuu.
“We continue along our growth path towards 1GW of production capacity and we have made it clear that scaling up is now our core strategy. 20MW is up and running and 40MW is our next project in Joensuu with e-methanol as the output,” Plit explains.
Joensuu represents a significant step forward, both in scale and in complexity. Unlike Harjavalta, which focuses primarily on hydrogen, the new facility will centre on the production of e-methanol, a synthetic fuel with growing demand across multiple industries. “We want to double to 40MW there, and ramp up production of e-methanol significantly. It is a very interesting fuel and can be used across mobility from road to maritime to aviation,” says Plit.
The choice of e-methanol is strategic. As regulatory pressure increases across transport sectors, demand for low-carbon fuels is accelerating. “There are also industrial applications across plastics and other manufacturing. There are so many applications, and demand is waking up to synthetic fuels,” Plit says.
The project also highlights P2X Solutions’ commitment to circular economy principles. “We will also capture the CO2 and this contributes to the strong circular economy credentials we have at Joensuu.
“There is an existing biomass unit in Joensuu which emits CO2, we capture it and we can utilise that in our process to produce e-methanol. Our excess heat, that comes as a result of production of green hydrogen, will be directed into the district heating network for the city of Joensuu,” Plit details. This approach strengthens both environmental performance and local impact.
For P2X Solutions, these synergies are central to the design philosophy. “This is a brilliant example of how to not waste anything,” Plit highlights.
Looking ahead, the timeline for Joensuu is ambitious. “We will make the FID this year and it will then take three years to construct the unit there. We aim to be in commercial production towards the end of 2029.”
PROJECT MANAGERS
Underlying this expansion is a distinctive business model. Rather than acting as a traditional EPC contractor, P2X Solutions positions itself as a project manager, coordinating specialised suppliers and optimising delivery. “We are project managers – that is our core. We manage all of the construction and civil works, but from a project management perspective,” says Plit.
This approach allows the company to navigate a market that is still evolving. “We can cut down risk margins that regular EPC contractors would have and make the project bankable,” he adds.
Bankability remains a central challenge in hydrogen. “There is a certain cost of construction and then there are customers who pay for offtakes, and then there are financiers who bridge the gap – that triangle has to be seamless.” By sitting at the centre, P2X Solutions aligns stakeholders and drives projects forward.
This unique position allows P2X to look further ahead. Plans are in place for a project in Oulu, a major port city in Finland. “After we scale up at Joensuu from 20 to 40 to 100MW, we are planning a project in Oulu – a JV with Oulun Energia – where we will capture CO2 from a biomass unit, producing e-methanol and green hydrogen, and supplying waste heat to the district heating network,” explains Plit.
This pipeline reflects a broader vision of modular, scalable production. “When we have 100MW constructed, that will be our development complete and we will be ready for more widespread modular construction and production as we look to multiply wherever needed.”
MARKET FORCES
The rise of synthetic fuels is closely tied to wider geopolitical and economic trends. As Europe seeks to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, local production of alternatives is becoming increasingly important. “There is competition in Europe between locally produced products and cheaper imports from international markets, and it is our job to justify why we are here,” Plit says.
Recent global events have reinforced this imperative. The result is projects like Joensuu taking on larger strategic importance. “There is much more scrutiny now over how much control we have in our own hands.
“In that regard, we provide a direct solution with the production of e-methanol locally, in Europe,” Plit continues. “We have to take more responsibility in our own hands to increase our resilience – that is clear. Synthetic fuels is a clear and obvious boost to European resilience.”
Finland offers a unique advantage through its access to biogenic CO2. Plit calls it the country’s renewable energy “crown jewel” because of its critical nature in the manufacture of modern synthetic fuels that can drop into existing engines and infrastructure.
At the same time, government support remains essential. “The Harjavalta project would not have been possible without government support,” Plit says, highlighting the importance of financial backing, stable policy frameworks and demand creation.
CONSOLIDATION
As the hydrogen sector matures, a divide is emerging between early hype and sustained progress. For P2X Solutions, the focus is firmly on delivery. “Like with every new market, there was a lot of initial hype but now some projects have been cancelled. We see it as a situation where now the tourists are gone and the real players remain,” says Plit.
That realism underpins the company’s steady growth. By building operational assets, securing offtake agreements, and developing strong partnerships, P2X Solutions is creating a foundation for long-term expansion.
The success of Harjavalta, combined with the momentum behind Joensuu and future projects, positions the company as a reference point for others entering the hydrogen space. Its ability to integrate production, certification, and end-use applications demonstrates what is possible when strategy and execution align.
As Europe continues to navigate the complexities of the energy transition, P2X Solutions is not just participating in the hydrogen economy – it is helping to define it.