HYGCEL.
Hydrogen and Carbon Value Chains in Green Electrification — mapping the new PtX value chains and the optimal electricity and hydrogen infrastructure for Finland.
Why HYGCEL?
Clean electricity and hydrogen are at the core of the energy transition. A carbon-neutral energy and material system becomes possible when electricity is generated emission-free and hydrogen and its derivatives serve the sectors that cannot be electrified.
HYGCEL grew out of CLIC Innovation's Project Booster — the cluster service that turns shared research ambitions into funded, well-structured co-innovation consortia.
HYGCEL studied the energy transition at the system level — identifying new Power-to-X (PtX) value chains built on Finland's renewable resources, and providing guidance for building the optimal electricity and hydrogen infrastructure to support them.
- Which PtX value chains can Finland build on its renewables?
- How should electricity and hydrogen infrastructure be built optimally?
- What regulation and incentives drive the transition?
- How to balance sustainability, safety and profitability?
CLIC's role: from Project Booster to consortium coordination
HYGCEL started from CLIC Innovation's Project Booster — a roughly six-month preparation process led by CLIC that turned an early idea into a funded, well-structured co-innovation consortium. During that phase CLIC brought organisations together, contacted companies and arranged meetings. Only part of the initial concept came from the booster itself; the topic was then refined through discussions between CLIC and the organisations. CLIC also wrote the main application to Business Finland. Once funded, CLIC acted as coordinator with a special focus on collaboration between researchers and companies — keeping the consortium cohesive and ensuring researchers stayed well engaged with industry partners.
Six work packages, three perspectives
Examining markets and regulation, techno-economy, and sustainability and safety across the value chain.
Regulation, politics & investments
How leading countries design hydrogen policies and regulatory frameworks, and how these shape investment in PtX value chains.
Optimal infrastructure
Energy resources, efficiencies and feasible national and international infrastructure scenarios for Finland.
Methane & hydrogen
Hydrogen in the gas transmission network, material aspects of infrastructure and industrial applicability of biogenic PtG.
Future PtX cogeneration plants
Dynamic modelling of synthesis processes, plant-level design and flexibility, and data-driven Power-to-X operations.
CO₂ solid carbon products
Solid carbon products and markets, and energy-efficient CO₂ electrolysis from lab to industrial scale.
Safety & security
Possibilities and risks of green hydrogen value chains, including regulatory and financial risk perspectives.
All project deliverables
Regulation, politics & investments
Optimal infrastructure
Methane & hydrogen
Future PtX cogeneration plants
CO₂ solid carbon products
Safety & security
Seminar slides (May 2024)
17 partners across the value chain
Three research organisations and fourteen companies — through parallel research, direct financial support or in-kind contribution.