TotalEnergies announces a partnership with the American industrial gases group Air Products. This agreement provides for the supply of 70,000 tonnes of clean hydrogen per year from 2030, for a period of 15 years. This initiative aims to decarbonize TotalEnergies’ refineries in Europe. Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, emphasized that this agreement, the first of its kind following a call for tenders launched in 2023, is an important step towards decarbonizing the hydrogen used in the company’s refineries.
This agreement is part of a wider strategy by TotalEnergies, which launched a tender in September 2023 for the supply of 500,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year, destined for its six refineries and two biorefineries in Europe. The aim is to achieve a 40% reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions (scope 1 and 2) by 2030, compared with 2015. TotalEnergies is also investing in this field in the Maghreb, as demonstrated by the joint green hydrogen project with Verbund in Tunisia.
The challenges of green hydrogen
Hydrogen is commonly used to desulfurize fuels and petroleum products, but most of this hydrogen is of the “gray” type, produced by reforming methane, a process that emits CO2. Green hydrogen, on the other hand, is produced by electrolysis of water, using decarbonized electricity, making it a much more environmentally-friendly alternative.
The agreement is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by around 700,000 tonnes a year, according to the TotalEnergies press release. By positioning themselves in the green hydrogen market, Air Products and TotalEnergies are seeking to encourage the emergence of a clean hydrogen industry in Europe.
Prospects for the energy industry
The collaboration between TotalEnergies and Air Products represents a significant step forward for the energy industry. By facilitating access to green hydrogen on a large scale, this partnership could accelerate the energy transition and decarbonization of key sectors. Seifi Ghasemi, CEO of Air Products, expressed his admiration for Patrick Pouyanné’s vision and underlined his company’s commitment to clean hydrogen production over the past seven years.
This initiative is part of a growing global trend towards more sustainable energy solutions. Demand for green hydrogen could increase significantly, with commitments like that of TotalEnergies leading the way for other companies in the sector.
The partnership between TotalEnergies and Air Products to supply green hydrogen to European refineries is a major step towards reducing the oil industry’s CO2 emissions. This agreement not only supports TotalEnergies’ climate objectives, but also contributes to the emergence of a green hydrogen industry in Europe, offering a promising prospect for a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.
