Finnish food-tech company Solar Foods is participating in the ambitious BalticSeaH2 initiative, one of Europe’s largest cross-border hydrogen valley projects.

Backed by €350,000 in project funding, Solar Foods will accelerate the development and scale-up of Solein, its novel protein ingredient produced using hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

The funding will specifically support capacity expansion at the company’s commercial-scale facility, Factory 01.

BalticSeaH2 aims to establish a fully integrated hydrogen ecosystem across the Baltic Sea region, bringing together 40 partners across nine countries. With a total project value of €33 million (€25 million of which is funded by the EU), the initiative supports more than 20 use cases demonstrating hydrogen applications across sectors.

Solar Foods’ contribution stands out as one of the few food-focused applications in the project. Its proprietary gas fermentation process uses hydrogen as a core input, alongside captured carbon dioxide, to cultivate a single microbe into a nutrient-rich protein. The result is Solein, a versatile ingredient that can be used in a wide range of food products or as a nutritional fortifier.

Petri Tervasmäki, chief technical officer at Solar Foods, said: “We are excited to join BalticSeaH2 and contribute to building integrated hydrogen value chains. Hydrogen is a key raw material in our process, and we are proud to be pioneering its use in food production.”

At Factory 01, hydrogen is generated via electrolysis, splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity. Looking ahead, Solar Foods is planning its next facility, Factory 02, which is expected to increase annual production capacity from 160 tonnes to 6,400 tonnes.

The company intends to collaborate with strategic partners to produce hydrogen at the new site, enabling it to focus on refining its fermentation technology and scaling up global commercialisation efforts.

Unlike traditional agriculture, Solein production is independent of land use, weather and climate conditions. This positions it as a potentially transformative solution for food security and sustainability, particularly as the food industry seeks to reduce its environmental footprint.

Beyond BalticSeaH2, Solar Foods is also involved in the H2 Springboard ecosystem, further reinforcing its commitment to advancing hydrogen-based technologies.