Deployment of the sector: the long-awaited AMI

With more than 90 million euros of public funding in 2019, the ministry is announcing these new actions for 2020 with the preparation of a “productive pact”. After those of 2018, the support program for the hydrogen sector in preparation aims to establish an ambitious territorial dynamic and to allow the French ecosystem (industrialists, communities, research laboratories, etc.) to become more structured, to position itself on the markets of the future that are the production and distribution of hydrogen, both for industry and for mobility, in France and for export. It is intended to be part of the 2025 Productive Pact to build a new French model that respects the environment to achieve full employment. It also meets the objectives of the national low carbon strategy and draws on the experience acquired, as an extension of the actions carried out as part of the hydrogen plan launched in 2018, indicates the ministry.

The call for projects “Production and supply of carbon-free hydrogen for industrial consumers”, launched in February 2019 as part of the Future Investment Program (PIA) operated by ADEME, made it possible to select five winners, for total funding of 11.5 million euros. The five projects represent five different and complementary industrial cases: two lethal hydrogen projects and three on-site production projects. All of these projects will make it possible to replace more than 40,000 tonnes of carbon-based hydrogen with carbon-free hydrogen and avoid the emission of 418,000 tonnes of CO over the lifespan of the installations (15 years). The call for projects “Hydrogen mobility ecosystems” launched by ADEME in October 2018 made it possible to select 20 winners for funding of around 80 million euros, including 10 new projects under the second closing. All of these projects will make it possible to deploy more than 43 hydrogen service stations (for a target of 100 in 2023), and 158 heavy goods vehicles (for a target of 200 in 2023).

To support the sector, the ministry is therefore announcing new actions, first of all a call for expressions of interest (AMI) which will allow access to European subsidies. The “Large project on the design, production and use of hydrogen systems” which will be launched by the end of January 2020 aims to identify structuring projects for the hydrogen sector and to accelerate the large-scale development of innovative technological building blocks on industrial and infrastructure projects. This AMI, the first of which will take place in mid-March and a second at the end of May, should make it possible to identify projects making it possible to develop French industrial know-how and to scale up the sector (industrial development projects, projects of massive territorial production for industrial and mobility uses, massive decarbonization projects for industrial uses and structuring mobility projects, etc.) as well as accelerating the deployment of decarbonized hydrogen thanks to these solutions. The most structuring projects allowing the development of the industrial offer may be the subject of support within the framework of calls for projects launched in March 2020 or at European level, for example within the framework of important projects of common European interest or of the innovation fund. Another AMI “Aid for the emergence of hydrogen mobility in the rail sector” was launched on January 21. Rail hydrogen produced from renewable and/or carbon-free resources combines the absence of direct greenhouse gas emissions and that of local pollution, and offers the possibility of pooling the provision of hydrogen with other modes of transport. This AMI, with 22 million euros, is aimed at the authorities organizing regional rail transport and aims to support the emergence of hydrogen mobility in the rail sector with dual-mode trains (electric/hydrogen), making it possible to reduce the impacts linked to diesel rail traction.

The details of the program and its financing will depend on the projects that will be submitted within the framework of this AMI. It will be based in particular, for 2020, on a new wave of the “H2 industry” call for projects aimed at supporting the use of carbon-free hydrogen in industry as well as on a new publication of the call for projects on hydrogen mobility by ADEME. A review of companies with high potential will be carried out to identify their support needs, particularly in equity or in terms of a regulatory framework, to accelerate their development or their change of scale, announces the ministry. This review of companies will be carried out by the General Directorate of Enterprises (DGE) between now and May. To find out more about the hydrogen deployment plan: https://www.ecologique-solidaire.gouv.fr/plan-hydrogene-outil-davenir-transition-energetique.

(mks_accordion)
(mks_accordion_item title=“PPE and hydrogen“) In parallel with the AMIs, the latest version of the PPE, published on January 20, confirms in the chapter “Developing other renewable gas technologies” the Hulot plan for hydrogen, with a perpetuation of support for hydrogen from 50 million euros per for the first deployments in addition to the future investment plan. Furthermore, the law on the circular economy provides that the government proposes an ordinance to support this sector and ensure the traceability of carbon-free hydrogen. Other technologies which are not yet at commercial maturity stages can benefit from innovation support as part of the future investment plan. The PPE sets the objective of 10% decarbonized hydrogen in industry by the end of 2023, with 1 to 10 power-to-gas demonstrators, and 20 to 40% by 2028, with 10 to 100 power-to-gas demonstrators. power. Professionals have until February 19 to provide their comments on https://www.ecologique-solidaire.gouv.fr/programmations-pluriannuelles-lenergie-ppe.(/mks_accordion_item)
(/mks_accordion)