By Abdullahi Lukman
The French Prime Minister has officially approved a €149 million grant to support Lhyfe’s future green hydrogen production facility in Le Havre, marking a major milestone in France’s transition toward renewable energy.
The funding, confirmed by signature, will back the construction of the Green Horizon project, a large-scale hydrogen plant expected to produce up to 34 tonnes of green hydrogen per day by 2029.
The facility will be located near the Grand Canal of Le Havre, one of Europe’s largest industrial-port areas.
This project was selected in 2022 under the European Commission’s Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) program focused on hydrogen.
The French government’s decision to allocate the grant was announced in March 2024 by Roland Lescure, then Minister Delegate for Industry and Energy, during a visit to the Le Havre site.
Related Posts
Administered through Bpifrance, the public funding will be distributed in phases over four years. An initial €18 million will be paid out by June 2025, enabling Lhyfe to cover investments made since 2022 and move into the next stages of development.
Further disbursements will be tied to the achievement of contractual milestones and the reimbursement of eligible expenditures.
Located on a 2.8-hectare plot in Gonfreville-l’Orcher, the plant will be among the first large-scale production sites in France and Europe to generate decarbonised hydrogen via water electrolysis.
The project will contribute to the region’s industrial decarbonisation efforts, including support for nearby companies like Yara, which is integrating green hydrogen into its sustainability strategy.
With this initiative, Lhyfe aims to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of green hydrogen as a scalable alternative to fossil fuels. The project aligns with France’s national hydrogen strategy, which targets 4.5 GW of installed electrolysis capacity by 2030.
Matthieu Guesné, CEO and founder of Lhyfe, described the grant as “a strong vote of confidence” from both the French government and the European Commission. “It marks a turning point in industrial-scale decarbonisation,” he said, noting the project will allow Lhyfe to surpass the 100 MW milestone in electrolysis capacity.
Guesné also welcomed the recent release of the French National Hydrogen Strategy, highlighting its role in providing long-term visibility and support mechanisms to accelerate the sector’s growth.
