Haffner Energy announces that H2 bois SA has signed an essential contract for the development of a biomass-based hydrogen, electricity and biochar production plant in Switzerland

12 Mar 2025 18:00 CET

Vitry-le-François, France – March 12, 2025, 6:00pm (CET)

• First positive impact to date of the start of production of mobility-grade green hydrogen at the Marolles site (Marne County, Grand Est Region).
• First decisive step towards the development of a 720-kg/day production plant for hydrogen, electricity and biochar from biomass at the Glovelier site (Jura County, Switzerland), which is expected to be commissioned in July 2026.

Following the successful start of production of green hydrogen at its Marolles site (Marne County, Grand Est), Haffner Energy (ISIN: FR0014007ND6 – Ticker: ALHAF) announces the signing by H₂ bois SA of a first contract, essential step towards developing H₂ bois SA’s project at its Glovelier site (Jura County, Switzerland).

A first contract, essential step towards developing H₂ bois SA’s project

The signing of this first contract brings discussions with H₂ bois SA to a new concrete phase. The company was created by the Swiss Corbat Group, and its partners Planair and Romande Energie, co-shareholders of H₂ bois SA, to develop and operate projects for the production of hydrogen, electricity and biochar from biomass.

In particular, this first contract is critical for H₂ bois SA’s project of a biomass-based hydrogen, electricity and biochar production plant, intended to meet the energy needs of local industrial consumers of fossil hydrogen and decarbonize mobility. Biomass is to be procured from the local wood industry,

The plant, which is expected to be commissioned in July 2026, could represent a total order value for Haffner Energy that may reach up to €8.3 million, including options. With all its equipment and auxiliaries, it is designed to produce 30 kg/h of hydrogen.

The hydrogen produced at the plant will be distributed on site or removed for industrial and mobility applications. The electricity produced will be fed into the electricity grid. Biochar, a by-product of the production of syngas (syngas) from which hydrogen is derived and a real carbon sink, will be used for compost enrichment and soil amendment.

A land footprint already secured and pipeline to the H₂ distribution site in construction

It was already made public that the distribution site is planned near the A16 motorway, thus facilitating access for vehicles. It is located in an industrial area packed with established consumers of fossil hydrogen. The hydrogen will be transported there by a pipeline, its 1-km route crossing the new business park (ZAM 2) which is expected to welcome new companies consuming green hydrogen.

On the date of the signing of this first contract, the building permit has been secured and the work related to the construction of the pipeline has begun.

The start of production of green hydrogen in Marolles: a trigger for the signing of this first contract

As announced at the time of the half-year financial results, this technological milestone allows Haffner Energy to accelerate commercial discussions with various partners interested in its disruptive biomass thermolysis and gasification technologies. It was thus the trigger for finalising the signing of this first contract, which increases the company's prospects in a promising hydrogen market despite its slow start.

"We are delighted to have reached this essential milestone with the Swiss companies Corbat, Planair and Romande Energie. As we anticipated, the production of mobility-grade hydrogen is proving to be a key catalyst. This shows that our Hynoca® technological process is delivering on its promises, which should be a game-changer for a hydrogen ecosystem that has yet to truly take off. We have been waiting for this for a long time, and the availability of the Marolles site finally allows us to produce super green hydrogen from solid biomass", says Philippe Haffner, Co-founder and CEO of Haffner Energy.

Additional resources

About the Marolles site : press release and November 2024 media kit

About Haffner Energy

Haffner Energy is a French company providing solutions for the production of competitive clean fuels. With 32 years of experience converting biomass into renewable energies, it has developed innovative proprietary biomass thermolysis and gasification technologies to produce renewable gas, hydrogen and methanol, as well as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The company also contributes to regenerating the planet, through the co-production of biogenic CO₂ and biocarbon (or char/biochar). Haffner Energy is listed on Euronext Growth. (ISIN code: FR0014007ND6 – Ticker: ALHAF).

About H₂ bois SA

H₂ bois SA, majority-owned by the Swiss Corbat Group, was jointly founded in June 2021 by the Corbat family group, a specialist of the optimal and sustainable use of wood, and the Planair engineering firm, an energy transition expert. Since January 1, 2025, H₂ bois SA has been joined by Romande Energie, a Swiss energy production, distribution and marketing company, as a minority shareholder. H₂ bois SA's ambition is to build the first facility in Switzerland to produce green hydrogen, electricity and biochar from locally produced wood residues, broken down into carbon and hydrogen molecules by a thermolysis process. This locally produced, sustainable hydrogen is attracting a great deal of interest from regional players, mainly from industry. The CO₂-negative energy balance is made possible not only by innovative technologies, but also by the use of by-products from forestry and the wood industry.

Investor relations

investisseurs@haffner-energy.com

Media relations        

Laetitia MAILHES
laetitia.mailhes@haffner-energy.com
+33 (0) 6 07 12 96 76

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