France looks to hydrogen to become 100% renewables

French Minister of Ecological and Solidary Transition, Nicolas Hulot, has announced a plan to include hydrogen as a solution for the nation’s energy transition.

Through the “plan Hydrogène”, Mr Hulot intends to support the domestic hydrogen industry, which he claims is among the most advanced in the world. “France is at the forefront of this sector, and I want to give it the means to maintain its leadership in the heart of an already fierce global competition because it is an asset for our energy independence, but also a huge source of jobs,” says the minister.

Hydrogen can be used, Mr Hulot says, for the storage of renewable energy, for carbon capture, for pollutant and carbon dioxide-free clean fuel for cars, and for the production of clean gas.

Regarding its storage properties, Mr Hulot highlighted that the uses of hydrogen are only virtuous if it is produced from low-carbon electricity, but added the development of renewable, intermittent energy requires innovation to store the electricity produced for reuse when needed.

“The storage challenge is tackled by several sectors: batteries but also hydrogen, which offers many promising prospects. Hydrogen is a solution to 100% renewable energy,” adds Mr Hulot.

In order to implement the hydrogen plan, ADEME will initially devote €100 million ($116.6 million) for the first deployment of hydrogen in industry, mobility and energy.