Green hydrogen plant developer SIA CIS Liepaja and the petrochemical products storage and transshipment terminal LSEZ SIA NorSAF, which is developing one of the largest sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and synthetic fuel (eSAF) production facilities in Europe in Liepaja, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on March 12, 2026 to strengthen cooperation in the Liepaja Special Economic Zone, marking an important milestone in the further development of both projects.
By signing the MoU, the companies have agreed to cooperate in developing green hydrogen and SAF, eSAF production in the Liepaja Special Economic Zone. CIS Liepaja will supply green hydrogen as a feedstock for eSAF production at the planned NorSAF facility. The purpose of the memorandum is to strengthen close and coordinated cooperation in order to identify the most suitable technical, commercial, and infrastructure development solutions for the advancement of SAF, eSAF and green hydrogen production facilities.
CIS Liepaja plans to establish a renewable energy complex by 2030, including the construction of one of the largest and most advanced green hydrogen production plants in Northern Europe. The hydrogen plant is expected to produce up to 21,200 tonnes of green hydrogen annually. A significant share of this output is planned for export to Germany and other EU member states, supporting Europe’s transition to a carbon-neutral economy. The parent company of CIS Liepaja, Northern Europe Energy Group AS (Northern Energy), currently has several active projects in the Baltic States and the Nordic countries, where the company sees strong growth potential.
“Northern Energy has strong ambitions for industrial development in the Baltic region. Our goal is to implement projects in cooperation with local partners, communities, and responsible authorities that create value for all stakeholders. We consider the agreement with NorSAF an important milestone towards the implementation of a large-scale industry project that will create new jobs, promote economic growth in Liepaja, and support the transition to modern energy systems. We are looking forward to starting this cooperation,” said Thor Magnus Rovik, CEO of Northern Energy and CIS Liepaja. He noted that the project is currently approaching the conclusion of the feasibility stage, with the FEED (Front-End Engineering and Design) phase planned to begin in the third quarter of this year, while the final investment decision is expected to be taken at the end of 2027.
The new NorSAF plant in Liepaja will produce 100,000 tonnes of SAF annually, of which approximately 40,000 tonnes will be eSAF (synthetic sustainable aviation fuel produced from green hydrogen), and around 20,000 tonnes of gasoline and diesel. The fuel will be supplied to aviation companies in the Baltic region and Northern Europe and exported to other markets across Europe. Production is planned to start in 2030, when the NorSAF plant is expected to become the largest and most advanced SAF and eSAF production facility in Northern Europe.
“Our vision is to develop Liepaja into one of the first Green Fuels Hubs in the Baltic region and Northern Europe. With the development of the LSEZ NorSAF facility, it will become one of the most advanced and largest SAF and eSAF production plants in Europe. Green hydrogen is one of the key components in eSAF production, and cooperation with a local partner enables the creation of a secure and sustainable supply chain right here in Liepaja. Projects like this help decarbonize aviation, attract new investments and highly qualified jobs, and strengthen Latvia’s energy and industrial security,” emphasized Jānis Kisiels, founder and Board Member of LSEZ SIA NorSAF.
About CIS Liepaja
CIS Liepaja is a member of the Norwegian–Latvian Chamber of Commerce and the German–Latvian Chamber of Commerce. The CIS Liepaja project, which plans to establish a renewable energy complex and a hydrogen production plant with a capacity of approximately 21,200 tonnes of hydrogen per year by 2030, has been recognized as an investment project of strategic national importance. The main investor, co-founder, and supporter of the project is “Stolt-Nielsen Holding AS” with extensive experience in the global industrial and logistics sector.
About LSEZ SIA NorSAF
NorSAF is developing a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility in the Liepaja Special Economic Zone, which has been granted green corridor status and recognised as a strategically significant investment project of national importance. The new plant in Liepaja is expected to produce 100,000 tonnes of SAF and eSAF annually, which will be supplied to aviation companies in Baltics, Northern Europe and other European markets. Additionally, the factory will produce 20,000 tonnes of biogasoline and biodiesel. Production is planned to begin in 2030, with the NorSAF facility becoming the largest SAF and eSAF production plant in Northern Europe. The project cost is estimated at EUR 650 million and it would create approximately 400 new jobs. The new plant will use PureSAF technology developed and tested over 19 years by Swedish Biofuels AB, with the exclusive license held by the U.S. engineering company KBR, which also supplies technology solutions to the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Additional information:
Anastasija Balinska, Communications Consultant
Deep White
+371 28287195
anastasija@deepwhite.lv
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