Varopreem SynSat Plant Hydrogen Production Revamp

Oppgradering til klimavennlig HPU

The project involves the revamp of Varopreem’s hydrogen production unit (HPU) at its SynSat plant in Lysekil as part of a broader upgrade to enable a climate-neutral value chain by 2035. This large-scale refinery transformation replaces fossil feedstocks with renewable alternatives, such as pine oil and used cooking oil, to significantly reduce carbon emissions. Key upgrades include a new TPR reactor, enhanced process gas boiler, expanded pressure swing adsorption system, and improved cooling capacity to ensure high-purity hydrogen supply required for processing renewable feedstocks.

COWI leverer totalprosjektledelse

COWI was selected through competitive tender as the EPCM contractor for the HPU revamp, providing multidisciplinary design and engineering, procurement and quality assurance, as well as construction oversight and commissioning support. This integrated service approach ensured a safe, cost-efficient, and timely delivery of the project. The revamp was completed and recommissioned in 2025, with the hydrogen production unit becoming operational in October of that year.

Økt fornybar drivstoffproduksjon

The upgraded SynSat facility significantly increases Varopreem’s annual renewable fuel production capacity by 900,000 m3, enabling up to 40% renewable feedstock substitution in conventional diesel production. This results in a reduction of 2 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, equating to over 4% of Sweden’s total fossil fuel emissions and representing a sizable contribution to climate goals, especially in the transportation sector where road traffic dominates emissions.

Viktig steg for klimamål

This project is an essential milestone in reducing transportation’s climate impact by supporting the shift to liquid renewable fuels alongside electrification. It demonstrates how targeted investments in renewable infrastructure and process optimisation can generate both environmental benefits and economic value. The overall investment began in 2019 with approximately SEK 6 billion allocated to support Sweden’s largest fuel producer in achieving a 90% fossil emissions reduction compared to 2018 levels by 2035.