- A cooperation agreement was signed by the French corporations to launch the HyGreen Provence project, which is expected to produce annually 1300 GWh of solar electricity and 10,440 tons of green hydrogen by 2027.
The communities which make up the southeastern French area of Durance-Luberon-Verdon, utility Engie and industrial gas supplier Air Liquide have committed to develop the “HyGreen Provence” green hydrogen project.
The initiative aims to generate hydrogen from solar and other renewable energy sources and store it in underground salt caverns in the region.
The project aims to generate 1.3 TWh of solar electricity annually from 900 MW of solar project capacity when it is complete, in 2027, as well as powering the hydrolysis of green hydrogen on an industrial scale.
“Engie is convinced of the importance of renewable hydrogen in providing ‘zero carbon as a service’ solutions to industrial customers and the regions,” said Gwenaëlle Avice-Huet, executive VP for renewables at the fossil fuel company.
The utility will provide expertise in the production, storage and distribution of renewable energy, including hydrogen, and Air Liquide will contribute electrolysis and low-carbon technology knowhow.
Project to fire up in 2021
The first fruits of the project are expected in late 2021 with the final development phase slated for 2027.
“Eventually, several tens of thousands of metric tons of renewable hydrogen could be produced in this way every year to meet a very broad spectrum of uses,” said Engie. The 25 municipalities and 65,000 inhabitants of the Durance-Luberon-Verdon urban area intend to use hydrogen for mobility, heating and cooling of an eco-district and “virtuous” industrial uses.
A document showcasing the HyGreen Provence project at the Hydrogen Days in the Territories event held in Marseille in July stated 120 MW of solar capacity will be installed in 2021 to generate 170 GWh of solar electricity annually, of which 10% would be used to power the electrolysis of 278 tons of hydrogen. By 2027, the PV plant would have a 900 MW generation capacity, half of which would be devoted to the production of 10,440 tons of green hydrogen.
A spokesperson for Air Liquide’s PR company explained that if a large electrolyzer is built, the project will aim to procure enough solar power from elsewhere to enable the facility to produce the ‘several tens of thousands of metric tons’ of green hydrogen referred to by Engie.
“First and foremost, HyGreen Provence is an ambitious and innovative regional project,” said Durance-Luberon-Verdon president Bernard Jeanmet-Péralta. “It will embrace all those desiring consultation and dialogue, particularly the national parks in Verdon and Luberon. We are involved in the dynamic that is the ‘Vallée des Énergies’ together with partners such as the Iter [international nuclear fusion]project, the Cadarache CEA [energy technology R&D center], [and]géomethane and hydroelectricity [energy sources]in Durance. We are thereby contributing to the energy transition in France along with leading industrialists which, through their respective expertise, bring credibility and viability to the requirement for zero carbon emissions.”
Author: Catherine Rollet
This article was originally published in pv magazine and is republished with permission.
Green Hydrogen is going to be a hot topic at the Africa France Summit taking place in Bordeaux in 4-6th June 2020.
An initiative by French President, Emmanuel Macron, the Africa France Summit will be the largest investment summit of its kind between Africa and France. The theme is ‘Sustainable Cities’ and South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, will lead a 30 strong delegation to the summit. There will be over 50 other African heads of state in attendance. It is the first of a kind event combining both the public and private sector in a ‘Sustainable City’ designed exhibition plus summit. It is an Africa/France but also an Africa/Africa summit. The scope and scale is unprecedented.
