Project Report
Renewable hydrogen production : Air Liquide & TotalEnergies announce new major project
Air Liquide has announced a renewable hydrogen production project at La Mède ( Provence- Alpes-Côte d ’ Azur region in France ), where 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 .
By KCI Editorial
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 EUR 80 million for Air Liquide . Planned to be operational in 2028 , it will significantly contribute to the decarbonisation 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 decarbonisation 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 decarbonised hydrogen in the Fos-sur-Mer area . Furthermore , this project is in line with Air Liquide ’ s commitment to supporting decarbonisation 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 decarbonise 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 electrolyser , we are continuing our partnership with TotalEnergies to serve the energy transition through the implementation of our decarbonisation solutions .” This project is in line with Air Liquide ’ s strategy of offering its customers a wide range of decarbonisation 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 decarbonise industries and develop low-carbon mobility .
Towards Hydrogen !
Did you know that Air Liquide has several webpages dedicated to the potential role of hydrogen ? In its introduction , the company writes : “ All together we are accelerating the hydrogen development to reinvent the manufacturing , to decarbonise industry and to travel differently .” As well as providing more technically-focussed information , the pages also present simple information in a questions and answer format – ideal reading for non-technicians who want a concise yet reliable overview of hydrogen . To read , watch and learn more : https :// www . airliquide . com / hydrogen
Schematic of Air Liquide ’ s latest renewable hydrogen production project , with partner TotalEnergies
12 Valve World February 2025 www . valve-world . net