Haffner Energy announced the commencement of H₂ production utilizing its proprietary solid biomass thermolysis technology at its Marolles H₂ production, testing and training center. This unique technology enables the production of renewable H₂ at a substantially lower cost compared to conventional methods, while offering an unparalleled carbon footprint.

“Achieving the continuous production of competitive green H₂ is a decisive step. Currently, the industry faces significant delays due to the excessive cost of decarbonized H₂. We are confident that our solution will accelerate the adoption of renewable H₂ and enhance the sector’s competitiveness. I want to congratulate the Haffner Energy team and our partners for this remarkable achievement, ushering the company into a new era,” stated Philippe Haffner, Co-founder and CEO of Haffner Energy.

A flexible and economically advantageous production model. The site’s production capacity will be 15 kg of H₂ per hour (kg/h), with an initial phase temporarily limited to 11 kg/h due to the existing pressure swing adsorption (PSA) purification equipment onsite. This equipment will be replaced in the coming months by a PSA designed to reach a 15 kg/h capacity. The unit already produces H₂ at 8 bar pressure, ready for commercial distribution starting in the second half of 2025 to serve transportation and industrial markets.

Anticipated since late 2024, this commissioning required the site to be connected to the medium-voltage electrical grid, which was completed earlier this year, followed by the on-site presence of commissioning engineers focused on the main equipment suppliers for H₂ purification.

The biomass thermolysis unit, operational since June 2024, exceeds the capacity required to produce 15 kg/h of H₂. The new PSA, already received by Haffner Energy, will be complemented by a compressor reaching 35 bar pressure, supplying an H14 distribution station provided by HRS.

Marolles is designed to operate 8,000 hours per year. As part of this site's operations, 120 metric tpy of mobility-grade H₂ (15 kg/h) will be produced, contributing to the decarbonization of mobility and industry. This is equivalent to 12 million kilometers traveled with H₂ vehicles. Approximately 2,400 metric tpy of CO₂ will be avoided or captured through H₂ and biocarbon (char or biochar) combined.

A memorandum of understanding for the offtake has been signed for the supply of 90 tpy of H₂, mainly for mobility applications, which is designed to ensure a commercial outlet within the next few months.

H₂ production from residual solid biomass: A game changer. The scaling up of Haffner Energy’s proprietary biomass thermolysis technology is poised to disrupt the global and French renewable H₂ markets, facilitating accelerated commercial and industrial development. This technology offers several key advantages:

• Economically competitive solution: Already capable of competing with gray H₂ for installations of 20 MW and above – a feat far from achievable by alternative technologies.
• Economic model based on low-cost biomass energy: H₂ from biomass thermolysis is significantly cheaper to produce than H₂ from the electrolysis of water thanks to low primary energy costs (< 30€/MWh and often even < 20€/MWh, compared with > 70€/MWh for decarbonized electricity) and optimal energy efficiency (generally > 70%).
• Independence from the electrical grid: Unlike electrolysis, thermolysis is minimally dependent on electricity availability and cost, ensuring stable and predictable production.
• Negative carbon footprint: This technology sequesters biogenic carbon through biochar co-production, achieving a negative carbon footprint when taking the full LCA into account.
• Flexible sourcing: This biomass-agnostic technology is able to utilize various residual biomasses, in particular from agriculture, ensuring greater autonomy and resilience against feedstock market fluctuations while significantly expanding available resources.

Towards commercial and industrial expansion. The commissioning of the Marolles unit marks a strategic milestone for Haffner Energy. This success accelerates commercial discussions with several partners interested in this disruptive technology and as announced in previous communications, will enable the company's project pipeline to be converted into firm orders, thereby generating revenue. In particular, the effective commissioning of the site is a catalyst for finalizing the signing of two major contracts.

The continuous operation of H₂ and renewable gas production equipment onsite will also enable Haffner Energy’s team to conduct tests using specific biomasses for each potential client, including non-conventional biomasses such as organic sludge, manure and algae, thereby confirming the compatibility of Haffner Energy’s technology.

Furthermore, Haffner Energy is now positioned to leverage a previously untapped technological solution that converts H₂ into electricity at an extremely competitive cost, highly valuable during peak consumption periods.

Despite a global context that remains unfavorable to the development of the H₂ market, particularly in Europe and in France—where the National H₂ Strategy has yet to be announced—Haffner Energy’s position in this high-potential market is now strengthened.