Lhyfe launches its first UK project with plans for 20MW green hydrogen plant
- Tyneside operation aiming for eight tonnes of green hydrogen per day, serving industrial and transport sectors
- Supporting net zero ambitions by cutting thousands of tonnes of CO2
Nantes (France), 27 February 2024, 7.30am CET.
Global green and renewable hydrogen pioneer Lhyfe has today unveiled plans for its first UK plant to support the country’s net zero ambitions.
The company’s proposed facility in the North East of England is receiving support from Shepherd Offshore, a leading maritime and energy service provider, following the signing of a land deal.
If plans are approved, Lhyfe’s facility on the brownfield site of the historic Neptune Bank Power Station in Wallsend, North Tyneside, would have an initial capacity of 20 megawatts (MW), capable of producing up to eight tonnes of green hydrogen per day.
As an equivalent, eight tonnes would enable a hydrogen truck to travel approximately 100,000 km without emitting any CO2. With the same quantity, a car could go around the Earth 20 times or travel around 800,000 km. Named Lhyfe Wallsend, this plant aims to supply a range of organisations seeking to decarbonise their manufacturing and transport operations.
Lhyfe’s proposed Tyneside site in Wallsend. Credit: Shepherd Offshore.
Lhyfe (EURONEXT: LHYFE) is one of the world’s pioneers in the production of green and renewable hydrogen through water electrolysis, with its units being powered by green electricity.
Water is fed into the electrolyser, which is split into hydrogen and oxygen meaning the only by-product is oxygen.
The France-based multinational’s first plant in Pays de la Loire, Western France, has been operational since the second half of 2021, with two more sites inaugurated in the Occitanie and Brittany regions in December 2023.
Several other sites are currently under construction or extension across Europe.
The announcement comes 18 months after Lhyfe launched its UK subsidiary, headquartered in Newcastle, to meet the increasing demand from companies aiming to reduce their reliance on natural gas and other fossil fuels.
In the UK, Lhyfe aims to become a major supplier to energy-intensive industries and transportation, boosting the country’s energy security and creating new economic opportunities.
It also has ambitions to develop offshore hydrogen production, tapping into the huge offshore wind potential the UK offers.
The proposed plant will occupy 4 acres of leased industrial-zoned land along the north bank of the River Tyne.
This site was once part of the Neptune Bank Power Station, an early 20th-century pioneer in high-voltage power distribution and a model for the National Grid.
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’s proposed plant is receiving support from Shepherd Offshore, a company that has more than 40 years of experience as leading UK service providers, developing and operating facilities, and supporting world-class manufacturing on the north bank of the River Tyne. Shepherd Offshore has also extensively redeveloped Neptune and Swans Energy Park. The company offers over 1,700 meters of quay frontage and more than 200 acres of overall capacity on the north bank of the Tyne.
Lhyfe 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.
Companies and sectors looking to decarbonise are encouraged to contact Lhyfe to discuss opportunities to collaborate.
Lhyfe’s planning application will be submitted to North Tyneside Council in the spring, with a programme of community engagement underway.
The project is subject to obtaining notably building permission and a financial investment decision.
Taia Kronborg, Chief Business Officer at Lhyfe, said: “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 decarbonise their operations. We hope this project will not only help the North East but the whole of the UK reach its net zero targets.
“At Lhyfe, we are demonstrating that green hydrogen is now a reality and a key driver of the clean energy transition. We have a strong ethos of working with partners and communities to create projects that deliver real local value, and this is a key focus in growing our operations in line with demand.”
Charles Shepherd, Managing Director at Shepherd Offshore, said: “We at Shepherd Offshore are excited to announce the partnership with Lhyfe on the hydrogen production facility in Wallsend. Shepherd Offshore is fully committed to yet another critical milestone in the growing strength and evolution of the River Tyne and looks forward to welcoming Lhyfe to the north bank of the Tyne.”
About Green Hydrogen
Hydrogen is a gas that emits no carbon dioxide when it is used, but its carbon footprint varies depending on how it is made. Lhyfe’s green and renewable hydrogen is produced from a process of electrolysis of water, in production units powered by renewable electricity.
Water is fed into the electrolyser, which is split into hydrogen and oxygen meaning the only by-product is oxygen.
The hydrogen is compressed and transported locally from the production unit, providing an alternative to fossil fuels.
About Lhyfe
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 intend to provide access to green and renewable hydrogen in industrial quantities, and enable the creation of a virtuous energy model capable of decarbonising 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 its second and third 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. The company is listed on the Euronext market in Paris (ISIN: FR0014009YQ1 – LHYFE). Lhyfe.com
About Shepherd Offshore
Shepherd Offshore is one of the UK’s leading service providers, developing and operating facilities while supporting world class manufacturing within the North East of England, based on the North Bank of the River Tyne.
The success and influence of Shepherd Offshore is shared across the North East economy. For over 40 years, we have
made significant contribution to the continued growth of the offshore and energy sector along the River Tyne, with direct and indirect beneficial impacts on the local economy. Developing local infrastructure with high-value capacity and capabilities, we support services attracting the offshore, marine, renewable energy providers and construction industries to the River Tyne.
The company is committed to responsible regeneration of the Tyne and job creation that comes with it. By creating
competitive advantage for all stakeholders when co-locating. shepherdoffshore.com
Contacts
Lhyfe
Industry Press Relations: Nouvelles Graines – Clémence Rebours
Téléphone : +33 (0)6 60 57 76 43 | [email protected]
Financial Press Relations: ACTUS – Manon Clairet
Téléphone : +33 (0)1 53 67 36 73 | [email protected]
Investor Relations : LHYFE – Yoann Nguyen | [email protected]
Shepherd Offshore
Marketing Co-ordinator- Liam Donahue
[email protected]
