Lhyfe is kicking off the large-scale production of green hydrogen with the construction of a plant (pictured) in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
The aim is to produce green hydrogen locally, using renewable electricity and the electrolysis of water, to decarbonise mobility and industry in the region.
Lhyfe’s green hydrogen production plant in Le Cheylas, at the former Ascométal steelworks waste storage site, on a 7,000 m2 plot of land.
The project will contribute to the reindustrialisation of this brownfield site, initiated by its current owner SLS Actiparc Sillon Alpin.
The site, which has been named Lhyfe Le Cheylas will have a production capacity of up to 4 t/day, with an installed electrolysis capacity of 10MW, right from its launch – planned early 2026 – to meet the demand of the particularly dynamic local market.
This doubling of its initial capacity of 5MW will make it the largest Lhyfe site in France – the next largest are Bessières and Buléon, each with a capacity of 5MW.
Lhyfe produces its hydrogen by electrolysis of water and uses electricity from renewable sources supplied by national producers.
The company has already installed four production sites, including three in France and one in Germany.
As France’s leading industrial region in terms of employment, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is at the forefront of the deployment of hydrogen for mobility and industry in Europe, according to Lhyfe.
It launched its first projects in 2017, including the Zero Emission Valley (ZEV) project, supported by the Region and implemented by HYmpulsion, and IMAGHyNE (Investment to Maximise the Ambition for Green Hydrogen iN Europe) in 2024.
This latest project, in which Lhyfe is a direct partner with its production unit in Le Cheylas, aims to develop a large-scale renewable and low-carbon hydrogen economy in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, fully integrated with the existing energy system and meeting the needs of high-emission sectors.
Lhyfe has signed a ten-year sales contract with HYmpulsion, giving priority to supplying HYmpulsion hydrogen stations in the Alps, with a volume of 600 tonnes per year (i.e. around 1.6 tonnes a day), over a total period of ten years.
Six stations have already been inaugurated across the HYmpulsion network and seven others are currently under construction.
With a total production capacity of 4 tonnes per day, Lhyfe will also be able to meet the significant needs of regional industry, replacing grey hydrogen and natural gas in particular, in sectors such as metallurgy, microelectronics, chemicals, etc.
With Le Cheylas, Lhyfe aims to contribute to the ambitious objectives of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, which are promoting the development of clean mobility and low-carbon industry, and improving air quality in the Alpine valleys.
The Lhyfe Le Cheylas site has received support from the Just Transition Fund, as part of the 2021-2027 European Regional Programme implemented by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, in close collaboration with the areas concerned.
The contracted subsidies amount to €5.5m.
The project is also receiving financial support from the Clean Hydrogen Partnership as part of the European large-scale hydrogen valley project IMAGHyNE, coordinated by the Region.
The contracted subsidies here are for €0.75m.
Matthieu Guesné, founder and chief executive of Lhyfe, said: “We commend the clear-sighted, visionary and determined nature of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, which as early as 2017 wanted to develop the green hydrogen sector to decarbonise its mobility and industrial fabric, and which has subsequently provided unfailing and highly effective support to companies like ours.
“This support is now enabling us to start building our largest production site in France.
“The favourable development of the ecosystem has enabled us to save time by installing the enhanced version of our site straight away. We will now be meeting the region’s many industrial operators to discuss their needs.”