The HyGen project is led by three major experts: Fives, a global industrial engineering group, leader of the consortium, and two main research players, the CEA and the École des Mines de Saint-Etienne. This research and development program aims to substantially increase the scale of the equipment necessary for the use of liquid H₂ in favor of low-carbon mobility.

HyGen received funding of €3.4 MM from the French Government as part of the program France 2030 operated by ADEME and is thus fully part of the French national strategy to boost decarbonized H₂. This project will contribute to the creation of 85 new jobs in the Grand-Est region where the Fives group has been established for over 120 years.

TECHNOLOGICAL LEADERSHIP IN H₂ AT THE SERVICE OF LOW-CARBON MOBILITY

A technological leader in cryogenics for 65 years, Fives, with more than 50 references in H₂ liquefaction, is the partner of the world’s largest players in industrial gases. Thanks to the alliance of the members of the consortium expertise, HyGen aims to:

• Remove technological barriers to scale-up liquefaction equipment and multiply existing capacities by ~10
• Strengthen the reliability of the equipment and secure their use
• Contribute to improving France’s competitiveness in H₂ and to the creation of a strong sector around liquid H₂
• Meet the growing demand for H₂ on the global market in favor of green mobility

A HISTORIC PLAYER IN THE ECONOMIC DYNAMISM OF THE GRAND-EST REGION

The H₂ equipment are designed in Fives’ workshops in Golbey, in the Vosges, where the Group employs more than 370 people. To support the growth of its H₂ activity, Fives plans to recruit 85 new people by 2030 in its key professions (preliminary design, engineering, quality, welding, production). The HyGen project will also involve third-party stakeholders (subcontractors, suppliers) and thus boost the regional economic ecosystem.

“As a leader in H₂ liquefaction equipment, we are proud, with the HyGen project, to participate in the growth of this sector in France. A pioneer in the decarbonization of industry, Fives aims, with its partners, to support the energy transition and the green mobility,” said Vincent Pourailly, President of the Business Line Energy | Cryogenics of Fives.