Vicat advances industrial decarbonisation with electrification and green hydrogen projects in France
Vicat Group is accelerating its industrial decarbonisation strategy in France through new investments in electrification and green hydrogen technologies at its Xeuilley and Montalieu sites, aiming to reduce emissions while strengthening national energy sovereignty.
Announced on 28 May 2026, the cement producer said it is targeting the full defossilisation of its Xeuilley facility through the electrification of key production equipment, including the hot gas generator of the raw meal mill. The system, previously dependent on fossil fuels, has been replaced with an electric solution supported by high-temperature heat storage technology capable of operating above 900°C.
The project, developed with support from the French environment agency ADEME and industrial partners, required a feasibility study co-financed at 60%. Vicat said the investment totals €7.5 million, excluding grid connection costs, and increases the site’s electrical capacity from 13 MW to 28 MW.
According to the company, the upgrade will reduce CO₂ emissions from the grinding and drying process by around 12,000 tonnes per year, equivalent to an 80% reduction for that part of the operation. Vicat added that it has already significantly reduced fossil fuel use across the site by integrating alternative energy sources and improving overall energy efficiency over the past two decades.
In parallel, Vicat is developing a hydrogen-based e-fuel production demonstrator at its Montalieu site in Isère as part of the ADEME-backed IDH2 project. The initiative, delivered in partnership with GENVIA and EDF, will deploy a 1 MWe high-temperature electrolyser using solid oxide electrolysis technology, capable of producing around 600 kg of hydrogen per day.
The hydrogen will be combined with captured CO₂ from Vicat’s VAIA carbon capture project to produce synthetic fuels, forming part of a broader strategy to support low-carbon mobility and industrial decarbonisation.
The company said the integration of carbon capture, hydrogen production and synthetic fuel synthesis is intended to create a “virtuous chain” for e-fuels, using low-carbon electricity from the French grid to power the process.
Vicat also highlighted ongoing process adaptations to improve flexibility in electricity consumption as renewable energy penetration increases. The company said different temperature requirements across cement production allow for partial electrification, with lower-temperature processes already compatible with electric solutions and higher-temperature clinkerisation technologies still under development.
The group said these initiatives position it to support France’s long-term energy transition while reducing reliance on fossil fuels and contributing to domestic industrial expertise in emerging low-carbon technologies.
