Vendée: the emergence of a renewable hydrogen sector in the region

The Vendée region has the ambition to install and develop a renewable green hydrogen sector in its territory. It was one of the pioneers in that direction.

Project background

The spearhead of this commitment is the SYDEV (Syndicat Départemental d’Energie et d’équipement de la Vendée). This union is in charge of deploying and operating all the hydrogen stations in Vendée. They will cover the hydrogen needs present and to come, mainly around the first use cases on mobility: fuel buses, household refuse dumpsters (BOM), trucks, and light hydrogen vehicles.

Renewable hydrogen sector project

The collaboration with the SYDEV in the framework of a public contract is an integral part of the development of Lhyfe as this actor supported our project from the beginning. As a pioneer in establishing the first production site in Lhyfe, the two players are now working together to develop hydrogen uses in the region.

If the first stage is a hydrogen gas station at La Roche sur Yon, ready to deliver 200kg of hydrogen per day, the next milestones are:

• Evolution of this station at 400 kg/day
• Station openings in Sables d’Olonne, Challans and Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
• Development of fleets supplied to cover both public and private uses

All the hydrogen is supplied by the Lhyfe Bouin production unit. It is directly connected to the wind power production of Vendée Energie, which is linked to the SYDEV! The partnership is complete.

SYDEV is developing a green and local energy mix to offer the people of the Vendée the choice of clean energy, including decarbonizing transport. Green hydrogen is an essential vector of the energy transition, complementary to other alternative energies such as biogas and renewable electricity, or energy savings.

Convinced of the relevance of Lhyfe’s solution, SYDEV supported the project and acted to quickly federate several partners in the Loire region, develop a green hydrogen industry in the Loire region, and build the first industrial production site in the Vendée region, powered directly by the wind turbines of Vendée Energie, our semi-public company.

Although the multi-energy distribution station in La Roche-sur-Yon is the concrete expression of a new energy paradigm for mobility in the Vendée, it is nevertheless only the beginning of a much more ambitious project for the whole department, because we are convinced that territorial coverage is the key.

Laurent Favreau, SYDEV President