It is a carrier of carbon-free energy, which is required to meet the 2050 carbon neutrality goal, and it offers the promise of liberating France from its reliance on fossil fuels, which has had geopolitical ramifications that we are currently witnessing.
We now know that carbon-free hydrogen represents colossal economic potential in France, estimated at up to 10 billion euros in cumulative by 2030 for manufacturers of electrical equipment and automation, including a large proportion of SMEs and ETIs, thanks to a market study published today by GIMELEC, the professional union for the digital electronics sector.
“Industry already uses hydrogen in its so-called gray form, which is generated from fossil fuels. Today, there is a significant upsurge of interest in replacing it with its green, or low-carbon version, as a result of the gas price explosion connected to the Ukraine conflict. We hear a lot about hydrogen’s potential for use in transportation, from automobiles to trains to light aircraft. The GIMELEC research demonstrates that hydrogen’s environmental and energy performance is shown first and foremost in the industry. It is in steel, chemical, and refining industries that it enables the biggest decarbonization gain in the near term. We’re talking about avoiding 11 million tonnes of CO2 per year, or 15% of total industrial emissions. Rodolphe de BEAUFORT, GIMELEC’s Deputy General Delegate, highlights this.
Several electrolyzer gigafactories are about to open in France: Aspach (2022), Béziers (2023), Belfort (2024), and Vendôme (2025). (2025). They’ll have to fulfill the demand that’ll skyrocket by 2030. According to the GIMELEC analysis, roughly 6.5 GW of electrolyzers might be built in France by 2030, followed by 18 GW in the following decade. These potentials, which are split down into the country’s seven main industrial areas, illustrate the difficulty of constructing the requisite infrastructure. This potential should be used in the next National Low Carbon Strategy, so that France may mobilize for industrial decarbonization and subsequently promote sustainable transportation choices, in addition to direct electrification. The success of France’s hydrogen strategy will be determined in great part by the ability of industrial actors, such as electrical equipment and infrastructure producers, to coordinate their efforts and so respond to the market’s exponential expansion. This is especially important now that international competition is gaining traction, especially in Asian countries.
“Yes, we see considerable development potential, with 3 billion euros in annual economic advantages for electrical equipment makers in France by 2030.” Yes, there will be significant recruiting efforts, especially in the areas where hydrogen development activities will be centered, such as the Mediterranean and the Seine Valley, but also throughout the national and European territory, particularly in industries. These new energy infrastructures are built on electrotechnical components. However, this will necessitate collaboration throughout the whole industrial ecosystem. This is the whole goal of GIMELEC’s hydrogen group, which was formed in response to its study: to bring together technology providers to support the growth of industrial capacity and the sector’s competitiveness. Rodolphe de BEAUFORT adds.
