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Haffner Energy, H2 bois SA to develop a biomass-based H2 electricity and biochar production plant

Following the successful start of production of mobility-grade green H2 at its Marolles site (Marne County, Grand Est), Haffner Energy announced the signing by H2 bois SA of a first contract that is critical for the development of the H2 bois SA project at its Glovelier site (Jura County, Switzerland).

The signing of this first contract brings discussions with H2 bois SA to a new concrete phase. The company was created by the Swiss Corbat Group, and its partners Planair and Romande Energie, co-shareholders of H2 bois SA, to develop and operate projects for the production of H2, electricity and biochar from biomass.

In particular, this first contract is critical for H2 bois SA’s project of a biomass-based H2, electricity and biochar production plant, intended to meet the energy needs of local industrial consumers of fossil H2 and decarbonize mobility. Biomass is to be procured from the local wood industry.

The plant, which is expected to be commissioned in July 2026, could represent a total order value for Haffner Energy that may reach up to €8.3 MM, including options. With all its equipment and auxiliaries, it is designed to produce 30 kg/h of H2.

The H2 produced at the plant will be distributed onsite or removed for industrial and mobility applications. The electricity produced will be fed into the electricity grid. Biochar, a byproduct of the production of syngas from which H2 is derived and a real carbon sink, will be used for compost enrichment and soil amendment.

A land footprint is already secured and pipeline to the H2 distribution site in construction. It was already made public that the distribution site is planned near the A16 motorway, thus facilitating access for vehicles. It is located in an industrial area packed with established consumers of fossil H2. The H2 will be transported there by a pipeline, its 1-km route crossing the new business park (ZAM 2) which is expected to welcome new companies consuming green H2.

On the date of the signing of this first contract, the building permit has been secured and the work related to the construction of the pipeline has begun.

The start of production of green H2 in Marolles: a trigger for the signing of this first contract. As announced at the time of the half-year financial results, this technological milestone allows Haffner Energy to accelerate commercial discussions with various partners interested in its disruptive biomass thermolysis and gasification technologies. It was thus the trigger for finalizing the signing of this first contract, which increases the company's prospects in a promising H2 market despite its slow start.

"We are delighted to have reached this essential milestone with the Swiss companies Corbat, Planair and Romande Energie. As we anticipated, the production of mobility-grade H2 is proving to be a key catalyst. This shows that our Hynoca® technological process is delivering on its promises, which should be a game-changer for a H2 ecosystem that has yet to truly take off. We have been waiting for this for a long time, and the availability of the Marolles site finally allows us to produce super green H2 from solid biomass," said Philippe Haffner, Co-founder and CEO of Haffner Energy.