Air Liquide, TotalEnergies and VINCI join forces to sponsor the creation of the world’s largest fund exclusively dedicated to clean hydrogen infrastructure solutions.
The fund aims to reach 1.5 billion euros and has already secured initial commitments of 800 million euros. Its objective is to accelerate the growth of the clean hydrogen ecosystem by investing in large strategic projects and leveraging the alliance of industrial and financial players.
The clean hydrogen infrastructure fund will invest in the entire value chain of renewable and low carbon hydrogen, in the most promising regions in the Americas, Asia and Europe.
It will invest as a partner, alongside other key project developers and/or industry players, in large upstream and downstream clean hydrogen projects. Total commitments to the fund have already reached 800 million euros out of a target of around 1.5 billion euros at signature.
As explained, Air Liquide, TotalEnergies and VINCI Concessions have been at the forefront of setting up and aggregating commitments to this clean hydrogen infrastructure fund. As anchor partners, fully committed to low carbon and renewable hydrogen development, each has pledged to invest 100 million euros.
The fund will be managed by Hy241, a brand new 50/50 joint venture between Ardian, a world-leading private investment house and FiveT Hydrogen, a clean hydrogen enabling investment platform. The choice of this fund manager allows to merge with their similar initiative and to add Plug Power as an anchor partner, as well as Chart Industries and Baker Hughes joining together.
As a broad energy Company, TotalEnergies’ ambition is to get to net-zero emissions by 2050 together with society for its global business across its production and energy products used by its customers. Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, commented:
“We believe that clean, renewable hydrogen will play a key role in the energy transition, and TotalEnergies wants to be a pioneer in its mass production. We are currently working on several projects, notably to decarbonize the grey hydrogen used in our European refineries by 2030. We are convinced that a collective effort is needed to kick-start the hydrogen sector and take it to scale. We are thus proud to launch and invest in the Clean hydrogen infrastructure fund, which will also give us privileged insights in the sector.”
Concluding, the hydrogen economy is expected to be key in the fight against climate change. Many countries have initiated hydrogen-related regulations and support schemes to enable clean hydrogen to help decarbonize their economies. Hydrogen offers a solution to decarbonize industrial processes and the mobility sector.
