France petrochemical giants Air Liquide and TotalEnergies have agreed on jointly working towards developing a blue hydrogen network in France, as part of their combined objective to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. In this direction, the companies plan to decarbonize the TotalEnergies’ 255 tonnes/day hydrogen facility located at Normandy in France.
For attaining the decarbonization of the Normandy hydrogen facility, Air Liquide will take over and connect the hydrogen plant with its proprietary Cryocap TM technology designed for bulk CO2 capturing, whereas TotalEnergies would look into CO2 storage and transport management. This project is expected to reduce 650 kilotons per year of carbon emissions by 2030. Air Liquide has already provided its Cryocap TM technology to the hydrogen facility in Port Jerome in 2015 as part of its plan to establish a low-carbon hydrogen ecosystem.
Hydrogen is a zero-carbon emission fuel that releases only water from the tailpipes when used in a vehicle. Hydrogen has the potential to revolutionize the transportation sector and restore the environment’s sanctity provided it is produced using clean technologies. With the implementation of strict environmental laws, the demand for hydrogen is taking long strides in the developed countries and regions with evolving economies.
As per ChemAnalyst, the objectives devised by the two merging parties represent a pivotal step towards sustainable development. The global hydrogen market size is expected to grow with a CAGR of over 5% in the coming 5 years, which will prove to be most opportune for the companies’ businesses and sales. Furthermore, the commencement of the low-carbon production will also add to the hydrogen supply and may cause subsequent lowering of hydrogen prices in the European market.
