With reference to the creation and acquisition of green hydrogen, Schaeffler and the French hydrogen producer Lhyfe have signed a letter of intent (LOI).
Green hydrogen is produced and supplied by Lhyfe for use in transportation and industry. The manufacturing sites allow for the industrial-scale generation of green hydrogen in the region and locally. As a result, Lhyfe will construct and manage an electrolysis plant with a maximum 15 megawatt capacity on the Schaeffler site in Herzogenaurach, Germany.
From 2025 on, the facility will deliver around 3.7 tons of green hydrogen daily to the Schaeffler factory in Herzogenaurach and other local clients. Schaeffler anticipates that switching to this renewable energy source and using the electrolysis plant’s waste heat as a source of heating for its Herzogenaurach location will result in sizable reductions in its CO2 emissions.
The highly effective electrolysis facility will also provide green hydrogen to other Schaeffler locations as well as potential clients in the surrounding area, including municipalities and hydrogen filling stations. The arrangement includes technology cooperation to support the usage of Schaeffler’s electrolysis stacks in addition to the procurement of green hydrogen.
According to Andreas Schick, Chief Operating Officer at Schaeffler AG, “the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is essential to reaching our target of climate-neutral production by 2030.” “In Lhyfe, we have a creative partner for assuring a long-term need for green hydrogen for our Herzogenaurach production. This collaboration demonstrates Schaeffler’s dedication to sustainability and hydrogen technology on a strategic level.
“We are happy to support a large firm like the Schaeffler AG in its transformation towards climate-neutral manufacturing by 2030,” said Luc Graré, Head of Central & Eastern Europe Business at Lhyfe. Rapid green hydrogen supply continues to be a difficult problem. Large-scale initiatives like the one by Schaeffler demonstrate the technology’s readiness, offer stability and confidence to the market, and increase investors’ interest.