Engie, ArianeGroup Team up to Develop Liquid Hydrogen

French companies Engie and ArianeGroup have agreed to cooperate in developing renewable liquid hydrogen, in order to decarbonise heavy-duty and long-distance transport, they said on September 10.

The pair will develop and test optimised liquefaction technology by developing a liquefier in Vernon, France, where ArianeGroup operates Europe's largest hydrogen test centre .They then intend to develop a range of products and services using liquid hydrogen, with maritime and inland water applications the main target. Engie is already working with LNG as a fuel for shipping.

ArianeGroup, a joint venture between European aerospace firm Airbus and French aerospace engineering firm Safran, has been developing liquid hydrogen-based propulsion systems for decades. Meanwhile Engie will bring its expertise in liquefied gases to the partnership. The energy firm is already involved in hydrogen-based solutions for intensive transport. 

Engie partnered with mining concern Anglo American to develop and fuel the world's first hydrogen-powered mining haul truck in October. It has also teamed up with industrial gases specialist Air Liquide to produce green hydrogen and store it.

"Renewable hydrogen is a vital component of the energy mix and is one of the key industrial tools that will help us bring about the transition over to carbon neutrality," Engie's interim CEO Claire Waysand said.

A week ago Waysand paid tribute to departing executive vice-president Pierre Deheunynck, who joined Engie in early 2016 as part of the company's effort to speed up its transition to carbon neutrality. He steps down at the end of this month.