Lhyfe Launches Green Hydrogen Production Facility in Brittany, France

Lhyfe, a leading player in the production of green renewable hydrogen for various industries and mobility applications, has recently inaugurated its newest green hydrogen production facility, Lhyfe Bretagne, situated in Buléon. This groundbreaking site stands as the first of its kind in Brittany and is one of the two largest in France, alongside the Lhyfe Occitanie site. Lhyfe Bretagne is strategically positioned to primarily supply hydrogen for local transportation and industrial processes in the region, with Lorient Agglomération being the initial urban community in Brittany to benefit from the produced hydrogen. The site is a key component of the VHyGO (Great West Hydrogen Valley) project, backed by ADEME, aimed at fostering green hydrogen initiatives.

Two years following the establishment of its initial site in Pays de la Loire and a week after the introduction of Lhyfe Occitanie, Lhyfe has successfully inaugurated the Brittany production unit. This move substantiates the company's commitment to large-scale industrial deployment, with five additional sites already in progress or expansion across Europe. The new sites in Brittany and Occitanie, each boasting five times the production capacity of the original site, align with the growing market demand for green and renewable hydrogen. Lhyfe's ambitious goal is to achieve a production capacity of up to 80 tons per day (tpd) by the year 2026.

This inauguration marks the commencement of Brittany's hydrogen fuel chain, with Lorient Agglomération scheduled to introduce its first hydrogen-powered services in the first quarter of 2024.

Lhyfe Bretagne, located near the VSB Energies Nouvelles wind farm in Buléon (Morbihan), will produce up to two tpd of green and renewable hydrogen, equivalent to 575 tons per year (with an installed electrolysis capacity of 5 MW). Notably, two tons of hydrogen have the potential to power a hydrogen truck for approximately 25,000 km, emitting zero carbon dioxide. Additionally, this quantity could enable a car to travel around the earth five times or cover a distance of approximately 200,000 km. Lhyfe ensures the carbon-free nature of its hydrogen by employing renewable electricity obtained through Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) with renewable electricity producers such as VSB Energies Nouvelles.

The central location of Lhyfe Bretagne positions the facility to efficiently supply customers across the Brittany region, emphasizing a short supply chain approach.

As part of the VHyGO initiative, Lhyfe Bretagne will contribute to the establishment of two HyGO filling stations in the Lorient urban area. One station, scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2024, will be situated at the Lorient bus depot, while the other, on the left bank of the river Scorff, will serve maritime uses. The hydrogen produced by Lhyfe Bretagne will power 19 buses and two passenger transport boats (Transrades) in the Lorient conurbation, making these hydrogen-powered Transrades a pioneering initiative in France. Lorient Agglomération is actively engaged in ecological transition by modernizing its public transport fleet, aiming for a fleet composed entirely of clean vehicles by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

Spanning approximately 6800 m3, Lhyfe Bretagne features containerized buildings dedicated to various functions, including driver reception, control room, electrical conversion, water electrolysis, compression, and quality control, among others. The site also includes designated areas for truck circulation and loading bays for transporting hydrogen to filling stations and various customers.

Matthieu Guesné, Founder and CEO of Lhyfe, expressed pride in the inauguration of the Buléon site, emphasizing its role in decarbonizing industry and mobility in the region. Guesné remarked, "We are very proud to be working with our public and private partners to help build a new industry for the future in Brittany and to offer local stakeholders a viable alternative to fossil fuels from 2024." This development signifies a significant stride towards a more sustainable and eco-friendly future, aligning with the global transition towards cleaner energy solutions.