Air Liquide Advances French Green Hydrogen Project
Air Liquide has raised its stake in H2V Normandy from 40% to 100%, renaming it Air Liquide Normand’Hy. The French industrial gases group, which bought its original stake only in January, said the strategic investment will support the development of a low-carbon hydrogen ecosystem in the Normandy industrial basin. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
François Jackow, executive vice president and a member of Air Liquide’s executive committee supervising Europe industries activities, commented: “This acquisition is a key milestone in producing renewable hydrogen on a large scale to supply industry and mobility markets. By 2030, Air Liquide is committed to bringing its total electrolysis capacity to 3 gigawatts.”
Air Liquide Normand’Hy plans to build a large-scale electrolyzer of at least 200 MW in the industrial zone of Port Jerome to produce renewable hydrogen. It will be connected to Air Liquide’s hydrogen pipeline network in Normandy.
The proton-exchange membrane (PEM) electrolzyer is expected to be commissioned in 2025, supplying 28,000 t/y of the gas for industrial and heavy mobility applications and avoiding the emission of more than 250,000 t/y of CO2.
In February, the Paris-based firm announced it had agreed to partner Siemens Energy to combine their expertise in PEM electrolysis technology.
Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist
