TotalEnergies partners with AirLiquide to develop low-carbon hydrogen in Normandy

Under a long-term contract agreement, Air Liquide will take over and operate the 255 tpd hydrogen production unit at the TotalEnergies platform in Normandy. Connecting the unit to Air Liquide’s hydrogen network will optimise its performance and, ultimately, develop the world’s first low-carbon hydrogen network. The network already includes a hydrogen production facility in Port-Jérôme equipped with Air Liquide’s Cryocap TM carbon capture solution since 2015. Air Liquide is considering adding a large-scale unit to produce renewable hydrogen via electrolysis.

In addition, the companies will launch development studies to deploy a carbon capture and storage (CCS) project to decarbonise the hydrogen produced in this unit at the Normandy platform. Air Liquide would install its Cryocap™ process to capture CO₂, while TotalEnergies handle transportation and storage of the captured CO₂, notably through the Northern Lights (Norway) and Aramis (Netherlands) CCS projects being developed in the North Sea.

In the long term, the implementation of these projects would reduce the carbon emissions from the unit’s hydrogen production by approximately 650 000 tpy of CO₂ by 2030.

Decarbonising the Normandy industrial basin

This cooperation between Air Liquide and TotalEnergies is aligned with their shared ambition to help decarbonise industrial operations in the ‘Axe Seine/Normandy’. Along with other industrial companies, the partners signed a Memorandum of Understanding, announced in July 2021, to develop carbon capture and storage infrastructure in Normandy with the goal of reducing CO₂ emissions by up to 3 million tpy by 2030.

Bernard Pinatel, President, Refining & Chemicals and Member of the Executive Committee of TotalEnergies, said: “This planned investment at our Normandy platform will enhance its industrial competitiveness and secure its long-term future. We are delighted to partner with Air Liquide on low-carbon hydrogen projects so we can work together on reducing the carbon emissions from our industrial operations. These projects contribute to the collective effort launched in the Le Havre industrial zone and the Axe Seine. This is fully aligned with TotalEnergies’ ambition to get to net zero emissions by 2050.”

François Jackow, Executive Vice President and a Member of the Air Liquide Group’s Executive Committee supervising Europe Industries activities, said: “Decarbonising industry is a major challenge. The large range of solutions we have developed enable us to support our customers in their path towards energy transition. We have worked with TotalEnergies for many years, and are pleased to strengthen our partnership today with the deployment of solutions that will provide the Normandy industrial basin with a low-carbon hydrogen network in the years ahead. In line with our objective to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, Air Liquide is acting now to develop low-carbon and renewable hydrogen production and build a more sustainable future.”

Under French law, the proposed transfer of the hydrogen production unit to Air Liquide is subject to the process for notifying and consulting employee representatives of the TotalEnergies Normandy platform, and to the approval from the competent authorities.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/the-environment/15092021/totalenergies-partners-with-airliquide-to-develop-low-carbon-hydrogen-in-normandy/