Lhyfe announces progress in green hydrogen projects
Hydrogen producer, Lhyfe, from the city of Nantes, France, started the first production facility into operation in Oct. 2021. Today, the company offers renewable energy solutions, bio-gas, smart grids, and batteries.
Matthieu Guesné, Chairman and CEO, Lhyfe, talked about their achievements during FY 2023. The FY 2023 revenues were at €1.3 million, which is x2, as compared to FY 2022. Lhyfe had the signature of multiple new clients in France and Germany, including Avia, Manitou, Iveco, John Deer, Hypion, Hype, Symbio, Bretetche Hydrogen, etc.
New sites
Two new sites were inaugurated in France (Buléon and Bessières), making Lhyfe the first producer of renewable hydrogen in the country. Eight other sites are currently in construction or extension, mainly in France and Germany, more than any other player in the sector in Europe. We have continued innovation with the world’s first offshore green hydrogen production.
Lhyfe is also boosting the scale-up, with €149m grant from the French government for 100 MW project near Le Havre in France. It has strengthened financing strategy, with a €28m first green corporate syndicated loan, and increase in secured grants at c230 million, as of December 2023.
Bouin, France site is now running at full speed. Factory was completed in 2021, and it is now fully booked. Extension is planned for up to 1 ton of green hydrogen/day. This is representing 2.5MW electrolysis installed capacity after extension. The onsite storage capacity will be extended from 700 kg to 5 tonnes. It is scheduled by end of FY 2024.
This is Lhyfe’s first green hydrogen production site with a current production capacity of up to 300 kg of green hydrogen/day (installed capacity of 0.75 MW). It has direct connection to wind farm, and has secured PPA with Vendée Energie. It is serving mobility clients. Lhyfe has 100 percent success rate in deliveries.
Providing site update on Buléon (France), he said it is located in Brittany (Morbihan, Buléon near Lorient). Site has production capacity up to 2 tonnes of green hydrogen per day (5 MW installed capacity). Lhyfe is addressing mobility (70 percent) and bulk industry (30 percent). Main source of energy is wind PPA with VSB énergies Nouvelles. Client has already been signed. Another site was installed as of end 2023. Commercial ramp-up will start by end of H1-2024.
Bessières (France) site update was next. It is located in Occitany (Bessières near Toulouse Occitany). Production capacity is up to 2 tonnes of green hydrogen per day (5 MW installed capacity). Main source of energy is wind PPA. It is also winner of the Corridor Hydrogen tender for projects. This plant is under commissioning. Commercial ramp-up will start by end of H1-2024.
Lhyfe has several sites under construction in Germany. Tübingen, Germany has up to 200 kg per day (1 MW installed capacity). It is aimed at supplying hydrogen-powered trains on the Pforzheim-Horb-Tübingen line from 2024. Lhyfe signed contract with Deusche Bahn. Unit has been installed and ready for client’s start of operations.
Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany has up to 4 tpd (10 MW installed capacity). It is mostly used for mobility. Construction works was launched at the end 2023. Brake, Germany, has up to 4 tpd (10 MW installed capacity. Site construction had started at end of 2023. It is 100 percent used for bulk.
Sites under construction in France include those in Croixrault and Sorigny. Croixrault has up to 2 tonnes of green hydrogen per day (5 MW of installed electrolysis capacity). It is located on the Mine d’Or industrial area, alongside the A29 motorway. It is the first production unit in the Hauts-de-France region to make renewable hydrogen available to a wide market. It will supply local uses in mobility and industry. Civil works had started early 2024.
Sorigny has up to 2 tonnes of green hydrogen per day (5 MW of installed electrolysis capacity). It is part of Hy’Touraine project. Green hydrogen will be supplied for uses in mobility and industry, with many local authorities and businesses already identified as having hydrogen needs in the area. Civil works started early 2024. In total, Lhyfe will have 10 plants. We are also developing in Spain.
Lhyfe has Fortress pipeline, excluding projects already under construction. Bulk projects are in Wallsend (UK) – 20 MW, HOPE Project (Belgium) – 10 MW, Bussy St-Georges (France) – 5 MW, Vallmoll (Spain) – 15 MW, Duisburg (Germany) – 20 MW, Milan (Italy) – 5 MW, and Le Cheylas (France) – 5 MW.
Onsite projects are in Gonfreville l’Orcher (France) – 100 MW, Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port (France) – 210 MW, Fonderies du Poitou (France) – 100 MW, Epinal (France) – 70 MW, SouthH2Port (Sweden) – 600 MW, Delfzijl (Netherlands) – 200 MW, etc. Backbone projects are in Aaland Island (Finland) – X GW, Lubmin (Germany) – 800 MW, and Perl (Germany) – 70 MW.
Lhyfe has secured €149m grant from French government to support 100 MW project near Le Havre in France. 28,000 m2 available space at the planned site of Gonfreville-l’Orcher. It will produce 100 MW. This confirms Lhyfe’s ability to raise significant subsidies and de-risk large projects. It confirms as well the status as a key player in the renewable hydrogen industry, and know-how and expertise of Lhyfe teams, pioneers in the industry.
The project has been approved by the European Commission as part of the third wave of IPCEI (Important Projects of Common European Interest) on hydrogen.
Offshore hydrogen production
Lhyfe is also paving the way for offshore hydrogen production. SEALHYFE pilot is a unique set of data for a concrete step forward in hydrogen offshore development. It is the first offshore hydrogen production unit in the world in 2022. It is producing green hydrogen offshore in the Atlantic Ocean during pilot period from May-Nov. 2023.
Green hydrogen was produced under stressed conditions (corrosion, direct connexion to wind mill, strong accelerations, fully remote operations). Millions of data was collected to support next phase (HOPE project). Reliability of hydrogen offshore production in an isolated environment, and management of the platform’s movements were undertaken. There was validation of production software and algorithms. It was decommissioned end-Nov. 2023.
HOPE or Hydrogen Offshore Production for Europe, was for the first time in the world. Green hydrogen will be produced at sea, and delivered ashore via
a composite pipeline to local customers for use in industry and transport sectors.
Up to 4 tpd of green hydrogen and 10 MW installed capacity. It is located in the North Sea, off the port of Ostend. Operations are expected early 2026. €33m grants awarded, o/w €20m from EU and €13m from Belgian government. This project is coordinated by Lhyfe, and implemented together with eight European partners.
Aland Island, off west coast of Finland, is an autonomous, demilitarized, Swedish-speaking region of Finland. Lhyfe has project to develop large-scale hydrogen production on Åland, integrated with gigawatt scale offshore wind in Åland waters. It is for use on Åland and in the wider European region. Lhyfe has signed MoU with CIP, the world’s largest dedicated fund manager within the greenfield renewable energy investments, and a global leader in offshore wind, green hydrogen.
Lhyfe is well positioned to answer future offshore bids to be launched in Europe from 2024 onward. Another 80 actions will be implemented over the coming years to address the Group’s ESG strategic orientations. Over 80 tonnes green hydrogen has been produced and sold to date.
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