Air Liquide has announced a major renewable hydrogen production project at TotalEnergies' La Mède biorefinery in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, aiming to strengthen the hydrogen ecosystem in the Fos-sur-Mer industrial basin. This collaboration is part of a long-term contract to meet TotalEnergies’ hydrogen requirements for producing biofuels and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).

The project will involve a new hydrogen production unit at the La Mède site, with an annual capacity of 25,000 tonnes. Unlike traditional methods relying on fossil hydrocarbons, this unit will utilize recycled biogenic by-products from the biorefinery, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.

Air Liquide’s investment of over €80 million will support TotalEnergies' goal of cutting CO₂ emissions by approximately 130,000 tonnes annually. Scheduled to be operational by 2028, this will mark the largest renewable hydrogen production facility on the La Mède platform.

The initiative also reinforces Air Liquide’s decarbonization strategy and bolsters its presence in the Fos-sur-Mer area, where it already operates hydrogen production units, air separation facilities, and Europe’s first high-pressure hydrogen station for long-distance trucks.

Emilie Mouren-Renouard, from Air Liquide’s Executive Committee, highlighted the project’s alignment with the group’s commitment to decarbonization and partnership with TotalEnergies, following earlier collaborations like the Normand'Hy electrolyzer project for renewable hydrogen supply.

This project underscores Air Liquide’s pivotal role in advancing hydrogen-based decarbonization solutions for industrial and mobility applications, supporting the global energy transition.

Source: airliquide.com