French multinational Air Liquide is taking a significant step in Europe’s energy transition, thanks to a €110 million grant from the European Innovation Fund.

This funding backs a hydrogen project at the Port of Antwerp, where Air Liquide plans to construct an industrial-scale ammonia cracking plant.

The initiative, dubbed Enhance, aims to convert ammonia into low-carbon and renewable hydrogen using innovative cracking technology. This project will help reshape the hydrogen landscape in Europe by modifying Air Liquide’s existing hydrogen production units. By utilizing renewable ammonia instead of natural gas, the company aims to cut CO2 emissions by over 300,000 tonnes annually. Additionally, Air Liquide intends to build a hydrogen tank on-site to support this sustainable approach.

Air Liquide’s innovation head, Armelle Levieux, expressed enthusiasm for the European Commission’s endorsement of their project. The Enhance project aims to create a reliable infrastructure for renewable and low-carbon hydrogen supply across Europe. The company is leveraging the knowledge and expertise from a previously announced pilot plant to advance this project. Ammonia, made from hydrogen and nitrogen, can serve as an energy source and is transformable back into hydrogen. This characteristic makes ammonia export feasible to regions with limited renewable resources, enhancing energy sustainability.