Faurecia to supply high-capacity hydrogen storage systems for Zero Emission Valley project

Faurecia, a company of the Group FORVIA, in collaboration with the company Air Flow has been awarded a contract to supply high-capacity hydrogen storage containers for refilling stations in the Zero Emission Valley (ZEV), a project involving HYmpulsion.

The ZEV project aims to deploy, before the end of 2024, 1,200 fuel cell vehicles and 20 hydrogen stations, including several equipped with electrolyzers to produce hydrogen from renewable electricity without emitting CO2.

HYmpulsion is a joint venture between the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and private sector actors Engie, Michelin, Credit Agricole, and Banque des Territoires, supported by ADEME and CINEA, which aims to make the region a pioneer in hydrogen mobility in France, and one of the first carbon-neutral territories at the European level, while helping create profitable models that can be replicated on a European scale. Air Flow, as global rental logistics company, will own the high-capacity hydrogen storage containers and rent them to HYmpulsion.

Air Flow’s investments amounting to 9 million euros will relate to hydrogen transport and storage equipment necessary for the proper deployment of the ZEV project. This project is a major act in the context of the decarbonization of economic activities in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and also represents a great success for the French hydrogen sector, of which Faurecia and Air Flow are key players.

Faurecia will leverage its advanced gas storage system competencies and its industrialization know-how to provide tailor-made large, lightweight tanks with increased storage capacity. The lightweight storage systems require less fuel for transportation, thus lowering their CO2 footprint.

Faurecia’s high-capacity hydrogen storage systems will be key for the project. These hydrogen storage containers will enable storage & transportation between refilling stations, mother stations and daughter stations to fuel hydrogen vehicle fleets.

These high-capacity hydrogen storage systems are developed jointly at Faurecia’s R&D Centers in Augsburg (Germany) and in Bavans (France). The first containers will be delivered by mid-2023. With this award, Faurecia confirms its ambition to be a key stakeholder in the hydrogen value chain, through distribution & storage solutions.

Olivier Lefebvre, Clean Mobility Executive Vice-President, said, Faurecia is proud to participate in the Zero Emission Valley, France’s first renewable hydrogen-driven mobility project for professional fleets. This project is fully aligned with our objective to decarbonize both mobility and industry.”

Thierry Raevel, HYmpulsion President, said, “This network supplies both light and heavy mobility. As an essential logistic link between its 3 hydrogen production centres and its 20 refilling stations, HYmpulsion selected Faurecia for its technical expertise in mobile gas storage systems.”

Pierre Fiat, Air Flow CEO, said, “Air Flow has been investing in hydrogen for nearly 20 years. It has acquired solid experience in the rental, maintenance and digitization of equipment for storage and transport of hydrogen.”