A Sustainable Industry Hub is being created in Liepaja

A notable statement has been signed in the Liepaja Special Economic Zone (SEZ), on the establishment of the Liepaja Sustainable Industry Hub, by combining several private strategically important green energy, smart production, and innovation investment-based projects.

The statement was signed by the major private investors implementing the aforementioned projects – the companies Van Oord, Euroports, Smulders, CIS Liepāja, GI Termināls, Fokker Next Gen Latvia, as well as the Liepaja Special Economic Zone Administration, the Liepaja City Council, the Latvian Investment and Development Agency (LIAA) and the Riga Technical University.

The purpose of the joint statement is to set development projects as the highest priority on the government’s agenda to provide the necessary state support, both in the form of simplified procedures and approvals, and to ensure the availability of the required financial instruments and investments in infrastructure. The said projects will contribute to the sustainability of Latvia’s economy and create new high-tech industries, contributing to the growth of the country’s GDP and industrial development.

The purpose of establishing the Liepaja Sustainable Industry Hub is to become a key player in the field of green energy and innovative technologies in the Baltic region. The total planned investment amount could exceed 4 billion euros from 2025 to 2035.

The planned projects at the Liepaja Sustainable Industry Hub:

• An Offshore Wind Support Base and Heavy Cargo Terminal in the Port of Liepaja, creating the infrastructure for the construction of wind parks in the Baltic Sea and placement of large-sized structures adjacent to the harbor berths. To be implemented by the companies Van Oord, Euroports and Smulders.
• A Hydrogen Production Plant and Terminal: a hydrogen production plant by applying renewable energy resources. To be implemented by the company CIS Liepāja.
• A Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Plant: production of SAF, contributing to the aviation industry’s transition to greener energy sources. To be implemented by the company GI Termināls.
• Production of Hydrogen-powered Aircraft: passenger aircraft production in the territory of the Liepaja Airport, accelerating decarbonization of the aviation industry. To be implemented by the company Fokker Next Gen Latvia.
• CO2 Export Terminal for Carbon Transportation and Storage: storage and transportation of carbon dioxide emitted and collected in industry and energy sector. To be implemented by the company GI Termināls.
• The Liepaja SEZ CEO Uldis Hmieļevskis points out that this is an unprecedented amount of private investment not only in the Liepaja Special Economic Zone but in the country as a whole, to create a completely new industry based on green hydrogen, oxygen production, CO2 transportation, and storage, processing the thermal energy, creating unique opportunities to create and to develop other industries that can use such resources as raw materials.

The Liepaja SEZ Authority puts much effort into uniting the aforementioned projects and investors who are seeking additional opportunities for synergy and the development of new projects. Thus, for example, hydrogen is planned to be used as a raw material in the production of sustainable aviation fuel and for refueling the Fokker aircraft, whereas CO2 is needed as a raw material in the production of the SAF fuel.

The Liepaja SEZ Authority has started a transformation of the former steel plant Liepajas Metalurgs into a green industrial park, making it possible to target other manufacturing companies that might use H2, CO2, O2, and thermal energy as raw materials.

Source: Riga Technical University
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