Lhyfe looking to build 20 MW green hydrogen plant in UK

French hydrogen producer Lhyfe has unveiled plans for its first UK plant, which, if approved, would have an initial capacity of 20 megawatts (MW), capable of producing up to eight tons of green hydrogen per day.

According to Lhyfe, the plant, named Lhyfe Wallsend, aims to supply a range of organizations seeking to decarbonize their manufacturing and transport operations.

The facility would be located on the brownfield site of the Neptune Bank Power Station in Wallsend, North Tyneside, which is an early 20th-century pioneer in high-voltage power distribution and a model for the National Grid, Lhyfe said, adding that Lhyfe Wallsend will use green electricity from the grid, complying with the UK Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard. The company is also exploring options to source power from local renewable assets such as solar and wind.

Lhyfe further said the company is in advanced talks with several energy-intensive businesses in the area and across the UK, including those with transport fleets that could use hydrogen in their operations, and invited companies and sectors looking to decarbonize to contact Lhyfe to discuss opportunities to collaborate.

As per Lhyfe, this project is receiving support from a maritime and energy service provider Shepherd Offshore, following the signing of a land deal, and Lhyfe’s planning application will be submitted to North Tyneside Council in the spring, with a program of community engagement underway. The project is subject to obtaining notably building permission and a financial investment decision.

To note, this announcement comes 18 months after Lhyfe launched its UK subsidiary, headquartered in Newcastle. The company said it aims to become a major supplier to energy-intensive industries and transportation in the UK, boosting the country’s energy security and creating new economic opportunities. Moreover, Lhyfe has ambitions to develop offshore hydrogen production, tapping into the offshore wind potential the UK offers.

Commenting on the new project, Taia Kronborg, Chief Business Officer at Lhyfe, stated: “We are excited to announce North Tyneside as the site for our first UK green hydrogen production project. The development of green hydrogen projects is critical if major energy users are to decarbonize their operations. We hope this project will not only help the North East but the whole of the UK reach its net zero targets.”

To remind, at the beginning of 2024, Lhyfe entered into a joint agreement with the UK renewable energy developer Source Galileo to develop commercial-scale green and renewable hydrogen production units in the UK and Ireland.

The agreement will see Lhyfe and Source Galileo combine their expertise to generate and supply hydrogen to various customers across industry and transport, helping them decarbonize their operations.

When it comes to Lhyfe’s other operations in the UK, it is worth noting that the company is working with energy company Centrica to develop offshore renewable hydrogen, starting with a pilot project in the Southern North Sea.

The French company also has several other sites that are currently under construction or extension across Europe.

On February 1, the company held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new hydrogen production plant in Brake on the site located on land in the harbor area of Niedersachsen Ports (NPorts), Germany’s largest public seaport operator. According to Lhyfe, this will be the first plant in the northern German region to make green hydrogen available to the wider market.