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Hydrogen Innovation Plugs In Across The Entire Economy
New energies 29/04/2021

Hydrogen Innovation Plugs In Across The Entire Economy

A multitude of companies are today working on innovative solutions for various components of the emerging hydrogen-fueled economy.

A number of complex challenges come along with the goal of accelerating the development and use of hydrogen technology in a way that minimizes the environmental impact of production,

In South of France ENGIE and Total have teamed up to build a renewable hydrogen production site in the facility.

Hydrogen is poised to become a crucial component of our greener future, as sectors ranging from construction to power production to transportation begin to integrate it into the energy mix. The prospect of such an abundant new source of clean energy means an entire ecosystem is being built to produce, store and transport hydrogen at scale.

A number of complex challenges come along with the goal of accelerating the development and use of hydrogen technology in a way that minimizes the environmental impact of production, ensures energy security and contains costs. Fortunately, there are a multitude of companies, both established players and startups, working on innovative solutions for various components of the emerging hydrogen-fueled economy.

H2 in Construction

In a first for the United Kingdom, Mace Group and AFC Energy are collaborating to replace construction site power with hydrogen. As H2 View reports, the strategic partnership will include replacing diesel generators with hydrogen alternatives.

  • The construction industry is a significant C02 contributor, accounting for 38% of energy emissions globally. These emissions aren’t only bad for the environment, but can also impact health: PM2.5, a common particulate air particle from diesel generators, affects respiratory and heart function when it enters the body.
  • Mace Group, a prominent global construction business, plans to put in place the first AFC Energy H-Power systems by the start of 2022. In addition to being emissions free, the hydrogen generator also produces less noise population.
  • Mace Group plans to completely remove diesel from its construction projects by 2026. They hope this investment will encourage others in the industry to pursue hydrogen solutions. H2 in Steel: Earlier this year in northern Sweden, a gigascale green hydrogen plant was given the go ahead as part of a 2.5 billion-euro investment in producing fossil-free steel.

H2 in Steel

Earlier this year in northern Sweden, a gigascale green hydrogen plant was given the go ahead as part of a 2.5 billion-euro investment in producing fossil-free steel. H2 Green Steel , the leader of this project, plans to offer steel at a leading cost by 2024 and have a production capacity of five million tons by 2030.

  • The targeted customers are large European OEMs and the hydrogen plant will be integrated into the steel facility.
  • H2 Green Steel is inspired by HYBRIT, the world’s first fossil-free steel pilot plant. HYBRIT’s founders, SSAB, LKAB and Vattenfall, want to place Sweden at the forefront of clean steel production and create a value chain for the product.
  • Currently, H2 Green Steel is in the final stages of closing series A equity financing, with the goal of getting the rest of its funding through green project financing.


H2 in Production

France and Brazil are also in the early stages of constructing hydrogen plants that would make them green energy leaders across a range of industrial production sectors.

  • In February, Liberty Steel Group, Paul Wurth and Stahl-Holding-Saar signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to assess the feasibility of this type of plant. The two million tons direct reduced iron (DRI) plant will include a hydrogen electrolysis production unit with 1GW capacity. The goal is to use a mix of hydrogen and natural gas before transitioning to 100% hydrogen.
  • Fortescue Future Industries, a subsidiary of Fortescue Metals Group, and Porto do Açu Operações SA, a subsidiary of Prumo Logistica SA, signed an MoU on green industrial projects in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As International Mining reports, the plant will be located at Port of Açu, the largest privately owned deep-water port-industrial complex in Latin America.
  • The 300 MW capacity plant would have the potential to produce 250,000 t/y of green ammonia. The project also includes off-shore wind and solar power development in the states of Espirito Santo and Rio de Janeiro.


H2 in Spirits

In Scotland, a signature product will soon be manufactured with hydrogen as part of a collaborative green hydrogen plant. Iberdrola, the Spanish renewable energy leader, is working with some of the UK’s alcohol companies to produce green whiskey and spirits in the Highlands.

  • Through its subsidiary ScottishPower, Iberdrola is funding the project with the Port of Cromarty Firth and drink companies Glenmorangie, Whyte & Mackay and Diageo. As part of the North of Scotland Hydrogen Scheme, they will use onshore and offshore wind farms on the Cromarty Firth coast.
  • In lieu of existing fossil fuels, electricity will be created with electrolyzers that are powered by the wind farms, reports Offshore Engineer Digital. The hydrogen will produce the steam that is used in the distilling process.
  • According to Iberdrola, this location is ideal for renewable energy because of the existing green facilities and deep water. In addition to promoting local economic growth, the plant has the potential to export green energy to the rest of the UK and continental Europe.

ENGIE EYE - Taking biofuel to the next green level.  


Located in Châteauneuf-les-Martigues, in the South of France, La Mède biorefinery produces 500,000 metric tons per year of HVO biodiesel, a process that currently generates 15,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year. To reduce the level of emissions, ENGIE and Total have teamed up to build a renewable hydrogen production site in the facility. Called Masshylia in reference to the nearby city of Marseille, the project includes several phases.

  • First, solar farms with a total capacity of 100 MW will power a 40 MW electrolyser that provides for the production of 5 tons of green hydrogen per day to fuel the biofuel production process.
  • In a subsequent phase, renewable farms will be developed to fuel a new electrolyzer with a production capacity of up to 15 tons of green hydrogen per day.
  • The construction of the facilities is set for 2022, with the goal of starting production in 2024 to ultimately achieve carbon neutrality by 2050



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