(Paris) – The two French energy companies Total SE and Engie SA want to jointly build France's largest production facility for green hydrogen. The location of the project called “Masshylia” is Châteauneuf-les-Martigues in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.
Generate hydrogen with solar power
The 40 megawatt electrolyser will be installed at Total's La Mède biofuel refinery. A 100-megawatt photovoltaic power plant supplies the electricity for the production of five tons of hydrogen per day via a direct current line. This avoids conversion losses. The hydrogen is stored, which compensates for gaps between power supply and production. Digital 3D models monitor the production, storage and use of hydrogen for each component of the system.
Expandable to 15 tons per day
Construction of the systems will begin in 2022 and commissioning is scheduled for 2024. According to their own statements, the companies applied for funding in France and Brussels in order to be recognized as an “Important Project of Common European Interest” (IPCEI), which would entail funding from the Innovation Fund.
Beyond this first phase, the production of hydrogen at the same location could be increased to 15 tons per day using additional solar power plants.
Photos
The American Sunpower Corp. had an 8 megawatt solar system. for the La Mède refinery went into operation in 2018. Sunpower is majority owned by Total. / © Sunpower Corp.
