Aepnus Technology
Forus Advances the Deployment of Aepnus' Innovative Chemical Recycling Technology in Finland
Forus Oy is working closely with California based clean chemistry company Aepnus Technology to explore the commercial deployment of its technology in Finland. The objective is to explore the conditions for Aepnus to potentially establish operations in Finland and to develop a promising technology into a concrete and investable industrial project. Such a project as ours is long and require extensive preparations e.g. binding commercial agreements and finance after the current exploratory stage.
Aepnus' technology enables industrial sodium sulfate streams to be converted into valuable chemicals. At the same time, the solution can reduce environmental impact, improve Finland's trade balance by several hundred million by Eurostat and Forus estimate, and strengthen the resilience of Finnish industry.
The project addresses two significant industrial challenges at the same time. Finland relies heavily on imported industrial chemicals, while Finnish industrial processes also generate sodium sulfate as a byproduct. Aepnus' technology creates an opportunity to use this byproduct as a raw material for producing new industrial chemicals.
Aepnus' technology creates an opportunity to use this byproduct as a raw material for producing new industrial chemicals.
Finland is exceptionally dependent on imported caustic soda
According to S&P Global market data, Finland currently imports 83 percent of the caustic soda consumed by its industries. This is one of the highest import dependency rates in Europe.
Caustic soda and sulfuric acid are essential chemicals for industries including pulp and paper, chemicals, metals and battery materials. Heavy reliance on imports exposes Finnish industry to disruptions in international supply chains as well as fluctuations in the availability and pricing of essential raw materials.
The challenge could become even more significant in the future. Major new industrial investments are being planned in Finland, particularly in battery materials and metals refining. These investments would further increase demand for essential industrial chemicals.
At the same time, these industries can generate sodium sulfate as a byproduct. Managing sodium sulfate can become an important environmental and permitting issue for new industrial projects. Without a sustainable solution for these streams, emissions and permitting requirements associated with sodium sulfate could ultimately become an obstacle to industrial investments worth billions of euros.
Aepnus' technology turns these two challenges into a single opportunity.
Turning an industrial byproduct into valuable chemicals
Aepnus’ proprietary electrochemical technology converts sodium sulfate into high purity caustic soda together with sulfuric acid or ammonium sulfate.
Instead of treating sodium sulfate solely as a byproduct requiring management or disposal, the process makes it possible to use it as a feedstock for valuable chemicals needed by industry.
The process uses electricity rather than fossil based inputs.
Conventional chlor alkali production manufactures caustic soda from sodium chloride and inevitably produces chlorine gas as a co-product. Chlorine is toxic and difficult to transport, which ties its production closely to local industrial demand. Aepnus' process avoids chlorine production entirely.
Finland offers excellent conditions for Aepnus' technology
Finland is one of the few countries in Europe that combines competitive low carbon electricity with strong industrial infrastructure and efficient logistics.
Finland's significant demand for caustic soda and sodium sulfate output makes it particularly suitable for Aepnus' technology.
The potential therefore extends well beyond solving a single waste management challenge. It creates an opportunity to establish circular domestic chemical production, reduce environmental impact and strengthen the resilience of industrial supply chains.
Forus turns promising technology into an investable industrial project
Forus is a Finnish project development company focused on identifying impactful technologies and developing commercially viable projects around them.
In its collaboration with Aepnus, Forus' role has been to determine how the technology can be brought to the Finnish market and developed into a concrete industrial investment.
Forus' work has included analysing Finnish market dynamics and industrial electricity economics, mapping potential customers and sources of sodium sulfate, identifying relevant Finnish and European funding instruments, assessing potential plant locations, and building a roadmap and partnership network for establishing Aepnus' technology in Finland.
Forus is working to create the practical conditions required for commercial deployment in Finland.
For Forus, the project represents exactly the type of project development the company focuses on. It combines tangible environmental benefits, a genuine need within Finnish industry and a commercially viable path to significant impact.
Selected from thousands of technologies for its potential in Finland
“In 2024 and 2025, we analysed thousands of emerging green technologies. Aepnus was one of the most promising solutions and one of the best suited to Finland. The project continues our work to improve the health of waterways together with Canadian company CarbonRun and also draws on our expertise in energy and power solutions. Aepnus combines reduced environmental impact, a genuine need within Finnish industry and a profitable path to creating significant impact.”
For Aepnus, Forus' local expertise has helped the company evaluate the opportunity and move the project forward in Finland.
“Forus has surprised us with both the quantity and quality of their work. They have helped us open the right doors in Finland, provided high quality analyses and increased our understanding of how industrial projects are developed in the Finnish market. The collaboration has moved the project forward in a very concrete way.”
Does your operation generate sodium sulfate?
Forus is looking for industrial companies and partners in Finland whose processes generate sodium sulfate or that consume significant volumes of caustic soda or other chemicals that could be produced using Aepnus' technology.
Contact Forus to discuss how sodium sulfate streams could be put to productive use and whether Aepnus' technology could provide a solution for your operations.
Eero Oksanen
Ceo, Forus Oy
eero@forus.fi
ForScale - We scale your solutions
Forus Oy is a Finnish company focused on combating climate change, developing and scaling profitable solutions.
Our expertise lies in projects that promote the production of clean energy and raw materials, energy efficiency, carbon sequestration, and sustainable land use on land and at sea.
We are one of Finland’s leading developers of solar energy projects and actively participate in bioenergy and carbon sequestration projects. The Forus team consists of top experts in their field, who drive projects forward through sales, permitting, and business development.
CarbonRun
CarbonRun is a Canadian environmental company that restores the health of rivers by reducing their acidity and improving water quality using limestone.
This method aims to sequester carbon dioxide in the oceans for the long term. CarbonRun combines the restoration of aquatic ecosystems with carbon removal by utilizing natural minerals.
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