Lhyfe, one of the world’s pioneers in the production of green and renewable hydrogen and AREC Occitanie – the regional agency for energy and climate – have announced that construction is starting on the Lhyfe Occitanie production facility, in Bessières (Haute-Garonne). The plant, which should be operational by the end of 2023, is one of the levers of the Occitanie Region for achieving the goals of its Occitanie H2 Corridor project aimed at decarbonising goods and passenger transport.

Following two first sites in Pays de la Loire (Bouin, Vendée) and in Brittany (Buléon, Morbihan), Lhyfe’s third production site will be in Occitanie.

The Lhyfe Occitanie site is funded 80% by Lhyfe and 20% by AREC Occitanie.

The plant will be located in the Triangle business park in Bessières, 40 kilometres from Toulouse, on aproximately 8,000 sq. metres of land.

The construction works have just commenced and commissioning is due in December 2023.

The Lhyfe Occitanie site will have the capacity to produce two tonnes of green and renewable hydrogen a day (equivalent to a generating capacity of 5 MW), with the possibility to ramp up production to meet growth in hydrogen uses and needs in the region.

This project was selected in late 2021 by the Occitanie Region as part of the Occitanie H2 Corridor scheme. The financing agreement for the project was signed with the Occitanie Region in November 2022. Occitanie is providing €5.9 million to support the site’s creation, including €4.1 million as a repayable advance and €1.89 million in grants.

Decarbonising goods and passenger transport, as well as industry, regionwide

The Occitanie H2 Corridor is part of the North–South European hydrogen corridor project, which aims to decarbonise goods and passenger transport on an axis running between the Mediterranean and the North Sea.

In accordance with the aims of the Occitanie H2 Corridor project led by the Region of Occitanie, this site will help to decarbonise these transport modes by supplying green and renewable hydrogen to trucks, coaches and other fuel cell vehicles, on the Albi–Toulouse route, in particular.

The aim of the Region for the Occitanie H2 Corridor is to have two renewable hydrogen production facilities by the end of 2024, representing a total of six tonnes of output a day to start, seven hydrogen fuel stations (delivering 600 to 1 200 kg a day), 40 hydrogen-powered trucks, 62 refrigerated trailers/units and 15 regional interurban buses retrofit to run on hydrogen.

Lhyfe Occitanie could also deliver the various refuelling stations that will be created in the region.

In addition, thanks to its scalable production capacity, this site will also meet the green and renewable hydrogen needs of industry (e.g. aeronautics, equipment manufacturing), transport/logistics providers and local authorities in the area wishing to decarbonise their mobility and/or processes.

Lhyfe Occitanie promotes a short supply chain logic with energy produced and consumed locally, and can deliver its hydrogen within a radius of 200 kilometres.

Carole Delga, President, Region of Occitanie: “Making green hydrogen one of the energies of the future in Occitanie, is the choice we made in 2019 in adopting a dedicated plan. Today, one of the biggest challenges of energy transition is heavy mobility. That is why the Region has initiated the Occitanie H2 Corridor project, integrating industry and mobility on a European level. I am proud that this project is being developed here in Occitanie and that Lhyfe is contributing to decarbonisation at the heart of our communities.”

Cédric Maurel, Mayor of Bessières: “We are proud to be welcoming one of the first green and renewable hydrogen production sites in Occitanie and to be taking part in the energy transition of our region. This project shows that there are solutions to drastically cut our CO2 emissions. We are going to monitor the works closely so that the region’s users can switch to renewable hydrogen from the end of this year!”

Christian Assaf, President, AREC: “Occitanie has a head start on hydrogen. We know it and want to drive this potential by involving all communities and local enterprises in the regional dynamic. That is what we are doing today with Lhyfe which will help to confirm our position as a leader in renewable hydrogen and accelerate the decarbonisation of heavy mobility.”

Maud Augeai, Head of Territorial Development France at Lhyfe: “Lhyfe Occitanie will be our first achievement in the South of France. We are fully focused on its realisation in order to deliver the first kilos of green and renewable hydrogen from the end of 2023, and enable the transportation of tonnes of goods and thousands of people in the region without emitting CO2. As our plant is modular and scalable, it will adapt to the growth in uses in the coming months and years. Maxime Bourdillat, our Head of Development for South West France, now has an ear to the ground to identify mobility and industry market needs.”