Air Liquide is making significant strides in the development of its low-carbon hydrogen ecosystem in the Normandy industrial basin.
The company has announced a substantial investment of 50 million euros to establish a new hydrogen packaging and delivery supply chain aimed at refueling stations along the Seine Axis. This initiative is part of a broader effort to accelerate low-carbon mobility in the region.
The new packaging site will be powered by renewable hydrogen sourced from the Air Liquide Normand’Hy electrolyzer, which boasts a capacity of 200 MW and is currently under construction. This electrolyzer is set to play a crucial role in supporting the decarbonization of both industry and mobility in Normandy and the Ile-de-France regions.
As part of this project, Air Liquide plans to support the increasing number of hydrogen vehicles operating along the Seine Axis, stretching from Le Havre to the Ile-de-France. The initiative will kick off with an initial batch of five fuel cell trucks in 2025, with aspirations to scale up to 200 trucks by 2030. This growth includes not only hydrogen taxis—expected to triple in number between 2023 and 2024—but also corporate fleets of light utility vehicles, hydrogen buses, and trucks.
Through strategic partnerships, including a contract with HysetCo to supply renewable hydrogen for their fleet, Air Liquide will allocate about 25% of the production capacity from its Normand’Hy electrolyzer to support decarbonized transportation along this vital corridor. This allocation is equivalent to fueling 500 hydrogen trucks or 10,000 light vehicles.
The remaining three-quarters of the electrolyzer’s capacity will cater to customers in the Normandy industrial basin, including major players like the TotalEnergies refinery in Gonfreville. Air Liquide’s existing hydrogen network in Normandy already includes two production units: one at the TotalEnergies refinery and another at Port-Jérôme, where they have implemented their CO2 capture solution, Cryocap.
Air Liquide’s strategic plan for 2025—ADVANCE—aims for a balanced approach that combines financial success with environmental responsibility.
