Uniper's NorthStarH2 project in Östersund, Sweden, is moving into FEED with partners AFRY, Carbon Clean, Siemens Energy, and Topsoe. The plan is to produce around 115,000 tonnes of fossil-free e-methanol per year using renewable hydrogen, biogenic CO2, and carbon capture. The interview with project lead Broghan Helgeson covers the technical integration challenges and the commercial work still needed before a 2028 final investment decision. The project depends on more than electrolyzer performance. Helgeson says long-term offtake agreements, predictable EU regulation, permitting, and access to competitively priced renewable power will decide whether it reaches construction. Shipping and aviation are the main demand markets, with e-methanol also seen as a feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel. The 2031 commissioning target is realistic only if those pieces line up.
