From forest to flight: Liquid Sun teams up with Finnair to launch eSAF production pilot
August 21, 2025
Finnish technology company Liquid Sun is collaborating with Finnair and other industry partners to launch a first-of-its-kind pilot project, producing electro-Sustainable Aviation Fuel (eSAF) from biogenic CO2 emissions.
Developed from research at Tampere University, Liquid Sun’s innovative technology is based on low-temperature electrolysis (LTE) technology, which converts CO2 emissions and renewable hydrogen into eSAF.
The pilot production plant, which will be located in Espoo (also home to fellow Norwegian SAF producer Neste) is expected to be fully operational by Autumn 2025.
Biogenic CO2 in Finland is largely generated by the forest industry and biogas plants. It offers diverse and decentralised feedstocks for fuel production.
“Finland has the opportunity to become a leading producer in the rapidly emerging SAF market,” said Pasi Keinanen, CEO of Liquid Sun.
“To achieve this goal, it is critical that the project unites industrial partners across the eSAF value chain with a shared ambition to accelerate the transition to sustainable fuels,” he continued.
EU mandate driving opportunity
The project follows the EU-wide SAF mandate (ReFuelEU), which came into force at the beginning of 2025. The regulation stipulates that all member states must ensure a minimum 2% SAF blend in aviation fuel delivered at EU airports until 2029. By 2035 the mandate will increase to 6% and expand to include fully synthetic fuels made from CO2. By 2050, the blending requirement will rise to 70%, of which half must be eSAF.
The mandates apply to major airports, such as Helsinki-Vantaa and Rovaniemi, handling over 800,000 passengers or 100,000 tonnes of cargo annually.
Industry partners collaborate
In addition to Finland’s flag-carrying airline, Finnair, the Finnish airport operator, Finavia, as well as Swedish robotics and electrical equipment company, ABB, and local energy firm, Fortum, have also partnered with Liquid Sun on the pilot. Together the companies will validate production, refine processes and build capabilities to scale global eSAF supplies.
Finavia’s SVP Airport Infrastructure, Sustainability and Compliance, Henri Hansson, underlined the urgent need to support more sustainable air travel across the value chain.
“We want to do everything we can across the aviation value chain to support more sustainable air travel,“ he said.
“This means bold climate collaboration with our stakeholders and actively understanding and testing new technologies across our airport operations.”
Finavia has already committed to achieving net zero emissions across its airport network by the end of 2025.
Recognising that airport operations are only one part of aviation’s environmental impact, the airport operator actively promotes sustainability across the entire air traffic value chain. It has also joined innovation networks such as the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) HyAirport project, which aims to bring fossil-free aviation solutions to the Baltic states.
Meanwhile, Satu Sipola, VP, hydrogen and project execution at Fortum added: “Our target is to help societies reach carbon neutrality and our customers to decarbonise their processes. For aviation fuel production, we are pleased to offer renewable energy and, in the future, hydrogen from the pilot plant we are currently building.”
Reiterating that aviation is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise, Finnair’s VP of energy transition, Riku Aho said, “the energy transition will require new innovation and collaboration across the value chain.”
He also noted that Finnair is keen “to contribute to developing Finland’s capability in synthetic aviation fuel production while advancing the industry’s carbon neutrality goals.”
Finnair’s SAF journey to date
Back in 2011, Finnair operated scheduled flights between Amsterdam and Helsinki, using a 50/50 blend of biofuel derived from waste vegetable oil and conventional jet fuel.
In 2021, the flag-carrier collaborated with Helsinki-headquartered Neste for the supply of 300 tonnes of SAF at Helsinki to reduce emissions from Neste employee’s business travel.
More recently, in 2023, Finnair purchased 750 tonnes of Neste MY SAF for flights departing Helsinki Airport. The supply was enough to fuel 400 flights between Helsinki and Stockholm if using 100% SAF. However, in that same year SAF made up only 0.2% of the airline’s total kerosene consumption, while in 2044 that figure rose slightly to 0.46% of total jet fuel consumption.
Looking ahead Finnair aims to double its voluntary SAF procurement in 2025, beyond the regulated minimum and by 2030 in partnership with the Oneworld alliance, the airline is targeting a 10% SAF usage level.
The airline’s customers can choose to contribute to SAF with their bookings. By April 2025, over 21,000 customers had contributed to this initiative, enabling the replacement of 120 tonnes of fossil jet fuel with SAF. This equates to approximately offsetting 400 tonnes of CO2, according to Finnair.
Finland’s competitive edge
The Finnish forest industry alone produces around 20 million tonnes of biogenic CO2 annually, with additional sources from biogas. Combined with strong industrial capabilities, this provides Finland with a bold opportunity to become a global leader in eSAF.
“There is a technological race underway to deliver cost-efficient and scalable solutions, and Finland’s conditions and capabilities are highly favourable,” concluded Liquid Sun’s CEO, Keinänen.
“We believe rapid piloting and validation is the right approach when building an entirely new industry for synthetic fuels. If successful, this project can give Finland a significant competitive advantage.”
