TECO 2030 ASA plans to establish Norway's first large-scale production of hydrogen-based fuel cells in Narvik in northern Norway. Fuel cells enable ships and other heavy-duty applications to switch from fossil fuels such as heavy oil and diesel to climate-friendly hydrogen, and thereby reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the shipping industry.

'We plan to establish a combined innovation center and factory in Narvik. The plant will be able to produce fuel cells with a capacity of more than one gigawatt per year, equivalent to several billion NOK of annual turnover,' said Tore Enger, CEO of TECO 2030 ASA.

Evaluated various locations
TECO 2030 ASA has considered a number of different potential locations for the giga factory and had initially planned to build the factory in Eastern Norway. However, Narvik turned out to be the best option, and the factory will be established in a facility that previously was home to a plant operated by solar company REC.

Investment and employment
The plan calls for a gradual increase of the plant’s capacity. Work on the site is planned to start in 2021, and the first production is expected next year. Total investments of up to NOK 1 B are expected over a ten-year period.

Green shipping
TECO 2030 ASA is also focusing on the project green hydrogen at Blue Danube, where hydrogen will be produced from solar and wind in Romania and transported on barges along the Danube river to industrial buyers in Austria and Germany. TECO 2030 ASA is a partner in the project and will supply fuel cells for the hydrogen-powered tugboats that will take the barges along the Danube.