H2FUTURE SAB member Professor Elina Huttunen-Saarivirta: “The adoption of hydrogen is not a simple process - it requires extensive infrastructure and the development of many sub-areas.”
Research professor Elina Huttunen-Saarivirta investigates what hydrogen does to materials and why materials behave differently in hydrogen compared to other environments. At a national level in Finland, she highlights as one of the interesting research topics the steel industry and its goal to transition to fossil-free. This development requires a deep understanding of the interactions between materials and hydrogen. Additionally, from a hydrogen end-use perspective, fossil-free steel is one potential application, but it also requires new solutions for hydrogen transport and storage. There are some interesting options being explored.
“In Finland, for example, the use of large underground lined rock cavern for hydrogen storage has been explored, which is internationally unique. In Luleå, Sweden, such a concept is being developed, and elsewhere in Europe, e.g., the use of abandoned mines for large-scale hydrogen storage has been considered.”
According to Huttunen-Saarivirta, such solutions bring new challenges but also interesting opportunities.
“The entire hydrogen value chain must be considered, and hydrogen production cannot be forgotten”
Alongside hydrogen transport and storage, it is also necessary to manage the transport and storage of other possible reaction products, such as hydrogen derivatives. “Currently, development work is focused on individual areas in the hydrogen value chain, but Finland has a lot of biogenic carbon dioxide, which broadens the overall picture and emphasizes the importance of further processing hydrogen”, she notes. It is important to widen the view as well as develop and facilitate high added-value products.
“The entire hydrogen value chain must be considered, and hydrogen production cannot be forgotten. There are many technologies, and it is important to ensure that hydrogen of suitable quality is available where it is needed - materials play a central role throughout the value chain”, she says.
Huttunen-Saarivirta also emphasizes the importance of infrastructure planning: practical construction is still ahead, and it requires diverse development work. The adoption of hydrogen is not a simple process but requires extensive infrastructure and the development of many sub-areas.
“Steels and chemistry are strongly represented in the H2FUTURE programme, and these are key areas in the hydrogen transition”
Regarding the H2FUTURE programme at the University of Oulu, Huttunen-Saarivirta sees that the programme effectively covers the entire hydrogen value chain.
“Steels and chemistry are strongly represented in the programme, and these are key areas in the hydrogen transition. Bottlenecks have been identified, and the programme aims to bring more understanding and knowledge to these areas to advance technological development”, she explains.
Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) visits to Raahe and Oulu, as well as the activities, have strengthened Huttunen-Saarivirta ´s understanding that the steel industry is an important partner for the research conducted at the University of Oulu. “Collaboration is a key part of the programme’s impact. Tenure-track researchers have found their place and projects are progressing, even though emphases vary”, she adds.
Professor Huttunen-Saarivirta reminds that a certain unpredictability is inherent in research: not everything always goes according to plan, and results may show that a solution does not work. In such cases, it is necessary to be able to change direction. Regarding the role of the Scientific Advisory Board, Huttunen-Saarivirta states that its task is to place the programme in a broader context, examine international and national trends, and highlight good practices and experiences used elsewhere.
In the future of energy economy, Professor Huttunen-Saarivirta sees hydrogen as one part of the future energy mix.
“It is likely not the only solution, as several parallel solutions are needed. However, hydrogen will certainly be one important part among others, and at best, it offers an emission-free solution, provided the methods can be scaled up”, she concludes.