Air Liquide and Siemens Energy partners for developing hydrogen business
Air Liquide (French multinational industrial gas supplier) and Siemens Energy (German multinational energy technology company) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to join forces for developing hydrogen business.
“Our main objective is to rapidly grow the electrolysis manufacturing capabilities in Europe to ensure a competitive and resilient low-carbon/green Hydrogen supply for industry and mobility market,” Siemens Energy communication team told H2 Bulletin.
At the heart of this MoU is to combine expertise to advance PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) electrolysis technology. Currently, the cost is the main culprit behind restraining the growth of PEM technology. To commercialise the PEM technology on a large scale costs, the cost has to be slashed down.
The MoU also identified other key aspects where both partners will further cooperate, such as co-create with customers hydrogen use cases and realise the first industrial deployments of large-scale hydrogen production projects in Europe. H2 Bulletin was told that both partners would develop industrialised production technologies and optimise current designs and manufacturing processes to set-up Multi-Giga-Factories for electrolyser technologies in Germany and France.
Air Liquide and Siemens Energy will also establish a European ecosystem for electrolysis and hydrogen technology. Furthermore, both partners will jointly apply for large projects funding under the EU’s Green Deal and Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI)-scheme for hydrogen.
Benoît Potier, Chairman and CEO of Air Liquide, said: “Hydrogen is a key enabler of the energy transition. We look forward to this Franco-German cooperation.” Christian Bruch, CEO of Siemens Energy, said: “Building up a sustainable Hydrogen economy will still require to amend the framework conditions in the energy market. However, it will be through partnerships and collaboration that we can shape this market. We highly appreciate to co-create innovative solutions with Air Liquide.”
Bruno Le Maire, French Minister of Economy, Finance and the Recovery, said “With “France Relance”, 7 billion euros will be invested in hydrogen between now and 2030 to make our economy more competitive and more decarbonised”.
Air Liquide and Siemens Energy have already identified cooperation opportunities for large scale sustainable hydrogen projects in various countries in Europe, including the Air Liquide-H2V Normandy project in France with a capacity of 200 MW. Air Liquide announced on 20th January to have acquired a 40% stake in the French company H2V Normandy, which aims to build a large-scale electrolyzer complex of up to 200 MW to produce green and low-carbon hydrogen in France. H2V is located in the industrial zone of Port-Jérôme in Normandy.
