Initiated in 2017, “HyGreen Provence” aims to develop and validate the technoeconomic conditions for the production of 1,300 GWh of solar electricity, together with the production of renewable hydrogen on an industrial scale through water electrolysis.
Air Liquide and ENGIE are committed to the development of hydrogen solutions and will join forces with the DLVA urban area which showcases multiple resources for the project.
Consiting of 25 municipalities and a population of 65,000, the DLVA urban area will help benefit the project through its high levels of French sunshine, substantial land availability and a salt cavity storage site able to accommodate the large-scale centralised production of renewable hydrogen.
The hydrogen produced from the project will be used in a variety of applications such as mobility, energy and industry, both locally and regionally.
“We are pleased to contribute to this flagship project, which will demonstrate, in France, on an industrial scale, the key role that hydrogen will play in the energy transition,” said Guy Salzgeber, Executive Vice-President and member of the Air Liquide Group’s Executive Committee supervising industrial merchant, hydrogen and innovation.
“First and foremost, HyGreen Provence is an ambitious and innovate regional project. It will embrace all those desiring consultation and dialogue, particularly the National Parks in Verdon and Luberon,” said Bernard Jeanmet-Péralta, DLVA President.
“Entering into the partnership heralds a ground-breaking alliance between large industrial groups in France, and a local authority, that will accelerate the emergence of massive renewable hydrogen production projects in France,” said Gwenaëlle Avice-Huet, ENGIE’s Vice-President in charge of Renewables.
The project will be developed in several stages with first deliverable expected by the end of 2021 and a possible final step in 2027.