Green Hydrogen Delivered to French Salt Cavern Storage Facility for Testing

Lhyfe, a pioneer in the production of green and renewable hydrogen, delivered 350 kilograms of green hydrogen (Figure 1) to natural gas expert Géométhane, on June 13, for it to test injecting hydrogen into salt caverns at its Manosque site in the south of France. The injection, which was completed within the day, is a key test for the next stage of a major project led by the DLVAgglo urban community and Géométhane, which aims to accelerate the decarbonization of the Marseille-Fos-Sur-Mer industrial site (in the south of France) in particular using green hydrogen. [caption id="attachment_220132" align="aligncenter" width="720"]

1. Lhyfe delivered 350 kilograms of green hydrogen on June 13 for testing in salt caverns at Géométhane's Manosque site in the south of France. Courtesy: Lhyfe[/caption] With this experiment, Géométhane, which currently stores natural gas in salt caverns, seeks to test injecting hydrogen into these same caverns, in order to study how hydrogen behaves. The hydrogen was injected into the natural gas system to reach a storage well and will remain there for observation for several weeks, before being extracted and analyzed. Storing hydrogen in salt caverns is expected to contribute to local energy independence by helping to balance the production and use of different energy sources—hydrogen can be extracted on demand to cope with peaks in consumption, or re-injected to store surplus energy supplied by nuclear power stations and renewable energy at times when energy use is lower. Matthieu Guesné, founder and CEO of Lhyfe, said, “We are proud to be contributing to this trial, which demonstrates the extent of the possibilities offered by hydrogen, not only in terms of decarbonizing mobility and industry, but also in terms of energy storage, which is a necessary component of our energy independence. As more and more sites begin to produce green hydrogen, the question of storage will become central. The use of salt caverns is a serious option being considered all over Europe. This trial will provide initial feedback on the subject.” Lhyfe is a European group devoted to energy transition, and a producer and supplier of green and renewable hydrogen. Its production sites and portfolio of projects seek to provide access to green and renewable hydrogen in industrial quantities, and enable the creation of a virtuous energy model capable of decarbonizing entire sectors of industry and transport. In 2021, Lhyfe inaugurated the first industrial-scale green hydrogen production plant in the world to be interconnected with a wind farm. In 2022, it inaugurated the first offshore green hydrogen production pilot platform in the world. In 2023, it inaugurated two new sites, and currently has several sites under construction or expansion across Europe. Lhyfe is represented in 12 European countries and had 195 staff at the end of December 2023. —POWER edited this content, which was supplied by an industry press relations firm on behalf of Lhyfe.