Lhyfe and Elyse Energy announce plans to produce e-methanol bunker fuel

Lhyfe and and Elyse Energy on Friday (11 October) announced that they plan to jointly develop the production of e-methanol from green renewable hydrogen at the heart of the Loire estuary’s industrial and logistics port ecosystem. 

The project, known as Green Coast, is of major importance for the area and for the entire maritime transport sector, which is seeking to achieve decarbonisation. Elyse plans to produce 150,000 metric tonnes (mt) of e-methanol a year at the site.

Lhyfe said Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port has been committed for several years to decarbonising its activities, which are still heavily dependent on fossil fuels. 

In late 2023, Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port selected Lhyfe to set up an industrial production and distribution operation for green hydrogen. At the time, Lhyfe presented its plans to build an industrial unit with a renewable green hydrogen production capacity of up to 85 tonnes per day (installed electrolysis capacity of 210 MW), in Montoir-de-Bretagne, to the north of the Multivrac terminal, by 2028.

Nearby, Elyse Energy has positioned itself to produce renewable fuel in the industrial port zone. 

A synergy between Lhyfe and and Elyse Energy led to the signing of an exclusive agreement to study the feasibility of producing e-methanol from Lhyfe’s green hydrogen, in order to decarbonise maritime transport. The rest of the production would be used to decarbonise mobility and industry locally (see the financial press release published last July).

Green Coast, which fits in fully with the local industrial context, is part of the Loire Estuaire Décarbonation initiative, supported by France 2030 via the Low Carbon Industrial Zone or ZIBaC call for projects, and led by ADELE, which includes Saint-Nazaire Agglomération, the Estuaire & Sillon association of municipalities, the Pays de la Loire Region, Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port and the Association des Industriels Loire Estuaire (AILE).

The project is currently under development, and is subject to the granting of operating licences, building permits and financial investment decisions. The conclusions of the initial studies will be communicated during 2025.

Photo credit: Lhyfe and Elyse Energy
Published: 15 October, 2024