Air Liquide to Build One of the World's Largest Hydrogen Electrolyzers in Normandy

Air Liquide, in collaboration with Siemens Energy, plans to construct one of the world's largest hydrogen electrolyzers in Normandy, France, with a capacity of 200 megawatts (MW). Dubbed "Normand'Hy," the project aims to commence operations by 2026, contributing to the decarbonization of the Normandy industrial basin. The initiative aligns with Air Liquide's broader goal of achieving a total electrolysis capacity of 3 gigawatts (GW) by 2030.

Situated in Saint-Jean-de-Folleville, near Air Liquide's major facility in Port-Jérôme, east of Le Havre, the location was strategically chosen due to the area accounting for 13% of French industrial CO2 emissions. Erwin Penfornis, Vice President of Air Liquide's Global Hydrogen Energy division, emphasizes the significance of starting with industrial basins, noting it as a pioneering endeavor on a global scale amidst substantial projects in Australia and the Middle East.

The hydrogen production is expected to reach 80 tonnes per day, with half of it supplied to the TotalEnergies refinery in Gonfreville-l'Orcher. Air Liquide anticipates finalizing a protocol agreement with the French refinery. The electrolyzer will be connected to Air Liquide's hydrogen network in Normandy, contributing to the development of the world's first low-carbon hydrogen network to support customer decarbonization efforts.

The company pledges to source green electricity locally, although specific sources remain undisclosed. The €400 million project will benefit from €190 million in subsidies. As part of its global expansion, Air Liquide recently inaugurated a gigafactory for electrolyzers in Berlin, in partnership with Siemens Energy, with plans to increase the plant's annual production capacity from 1 GW to 3 GW by 2025.

In addition to the Normandy project, Air Liquide has initiated electrolyzer projects in Denmark in 2017, Canada in 2021, and is completing one in Oberhausen, Germany. Two additional electrolyzers are expected in the Netherlands by 2026-2027. The growing imperative for industrial and transportation sectors to scale up in the race for decarbonization amid the global energy transition underscores the significance of such initiatives.

Erwin Penfornis highlights Air Liquide's 60 years of expertise in hydrogen, with over 200 stations and 350 production units.