Renewable Hydrogen Production: Air Liquide Strengthens Its Partnership With TotalEnergies Through a New Major Project in the South of France

25 Nov 2024 08:45 CET

Issuer

AIR LIQUIDE(L-)

Regulatory News:

Air Liquide (Paris:AI) announces a renewable hydrogen production project at La Mède (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in France). In the context of a long-term contract, Air Liquide will cover the hydrogen needs of TotalEnergie's biorefinery. This project will contribute to the emergence of a new renewable hydrogen ecosystem in the Fos-sur-Mer area, a major industrial basin for Air Liquide in France.

In the framework of a long-term contract, Air Liquide will build, own and operate a new hydrogen production unit at TotalEnergies' La Mède site, with a capacity of 25,000 tonnes per year. It will enable the production of renewable hydrogen from recycled biogenic by-products from the TotalEnergies biorefinery, instead of using fossil hydrocarbons as feedstock. The renewable hydrogen produced will be used mainly by the biorefinery for the production of biofuels and Sustainable Air Fuels (SAF).

This renewable hydrogen production unit, the largest on La Mède industrial platform, would represent an investment of over 80 million euros for Air Liquide. Planned to be operational in 2028, it will significantly contribute to the decarbonization of the biorefinery, where TotalEnergies aims to reduce CO₂ emissions by around 130,000 tonnes per year.

This project represents a new stage in the decarbonization of Air Liquide's hydrogen network production sources. It will help strengthen the Group's presence and capacity to meet current and future needs for decarbonized hydrogen in the Fos-sur-Mer area. Furthermore, this project is in line with Air Liquide's commitment to supporting decarbonization initiatives launched by industrial partners locally. Air Liquide has been present in the region for over 50 years, and already operates three air separation units, a hydrogen production unit and a hydrogen network. In Fos-sur-Mer, for example, it operates Europe's first high-pressure hydrogen station for long-distance trucks.

Emilie Mouren-Renouard, member of Air Liquide’s Executive Committee, notably supervising the Group’s operations in Europe, said: “We are proud to support TotalEnergies in its project to decarbonize the La Mède biorefinery, thanks to our strategic positioning in the Fos-sur-Mer basin. Two years after the announcement of the circular economy project in Grandpuits, and following on from our memorandum of understanding to supply TotalEnergies' Gonfreville refinery with renewable hydrogen from the Air Liquide Normand'Hy electrolyzer, we are continuing our partnership with TotalEnergies to serve the energy transition through the implementation of our decarbonization solutions.”

This project is in line with Air Liquide's strategy of offering its customers a wide range of decarbonization solutions, such as CO2 capture and low-carbon hydrogen, in response to the challenges posed by the climate emergency. This unique positioning and its technological expertise make Air Liquide a major player in the implementation of hydrogen projects to decarbonize industries and develop low-carbon mobility.

About Air Liquide

Air Liquide is a world leader in gases, technologies and services for industry and healthcare. Present in 60 countries with 66,300 employees, the Group serves more than 4 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are essential small molecules for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide’s scientific territory and have been at the core of the Group’s activities since its creation in 1902.

Taking action today while preparing the future is at the heart of Air Liquide’s strategy. With ADVANCE, its strategic plan for 2025, Air Liquide is targeting a global performance, combining financial and extra-financial dimensions. Positioned on new markets, the Group benefits from major assets such as its business model combining resilience and strength, its ability to innovate and its technological expertise. The Group develops solutions contributing to climate and the energy transition—particularly with hydrogen—and takes action to progress in areas of healthcare, digital and high technologies.

Air Liquide’s revenue amounted to more than 27.5 billion euros in 2023. Air Liquide is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (compartment A) and belongs to the CAC 40, CAC 40 ESG, EURO STOXX 50, FTSE4Good and DJSI Europe indexes.

www.airliquide.com
Follow Air Liquide on LinkedIn