The French energy company Bouygues Energies & Services and third-party logistics provider FM Logistic have entered an exclusive agreement to jointly produce and distribute green hydrogen from renewable sources in the Loiret region of France.
Under the agreement, they will invest in the construction of an electrolyzer plant and a minimum of three hydrogen distribution stations near the regional capital of Orléans.
They will also work to develop a network of green hydrogen users among local authorities and companies.
Bouygues Energies & Services will design, build and maintain the hydrogen production and refuelling infrastructure for 10 years.
The project, which is called H2Hub Loiret, aims to create a regional “ecosystem” of producers and users to help lower the cost of green hydrogen and decarbonise local transport and logistics activities.
When fully operational, the electrolyser will produce up to 800 tonnes of green hydrogen a day. One part is meant for use at FM Logistic warehouses in the Loiret region, namely in Saint-Cyr-en-Val, Escrennes and Neuville-aux-Bois. The other part will be sold to third parties.
The hydrogen can be used as a fuel source for fuel cell forklifts, hydrogen-electric cabs, public transportation buses, garbage trucks, selected industrial processes, and hydrogen fuel cell trucks, when these become more widely available.
FM Logistic already operates 52 hydrogen-powered forklift trucks at its distribution centre in Neuville-aux-Bois. The company aims to achieve carbon neutrality for its warehousing operations by 2030. It operates about 180 warehouses globally, including 35 in France.