Collective energies to accelerate hydrogen
Published on March 28, 2024
3 minutes
Transportation is essential to our daily life but it comes at an environmental price. Around 25% of Europe’s total CO2 emissions originate on its roads, with heavy duty vehicles accounting for a major share. Society at large is pushing for alternatives to decarbonize transportation and Air Liquide is contributing to intensify the use of hydrogen as a decisive low-carbon solution for mobility.
To actively participate in this crucial momentum, the Group is forming partnerships with major players worldwide to establish a low-carbon and viable hydrogen ecosystem in the U.S., Europe and Asia.
In 2023, Air Liquide joined forces with TotalEnergies to create TEAL Mobility, a joint venture to facilitate access to hydrogen for trucks on Europe’s main road corridors. TEAL Mobility aims to develop more than 100 hydrogen refueling stations over the next decade, forming the first transnational European network of this significant step toward reaching a minimum viable network for trucks. The joint-venture is responsible for the investment, construction and operation of these stations (which will be under the TotalEnergies brand), as well as the supply of hydrogen to the market and its marketing to the transport players.
In addition to a lower CO2 footprint, the immediate advantages of hydrogen for truck operators are quick refuelling, an extended range and a preserved payload capacity. The equally held joint venture combines the expertise of its two founding companies: the technologies and mastery of the entire hydrogen value chain of Air Liquide, and the operation and management of station networks and the distribution of energy to BtoB customers of TotalEnergies.
In line with the EU ambition to decarbonize road transportation (2030: -45% carbon emissions for trucks entering the market compared with 2019 levels), TEAL Mobility will contribute to the massive adoption of hydrogen for heavy duty mobility. This strategic and innovative partnership will bring access to hydrogen in industrial quantities and act as a catalyst to activate the hydrogen mobility market with a strong signal to manufacturers, transport fleets and public bodies.
25% Share of emissions caused by road traffic in Europe
50-50 Joint venture: Air Liquide and TotalEnergies
100 Number of hydrogen stations to be built over the next decade
20 hydrogen refueling stations by the end of 2024
Many countries are initiating efforts to accelerate the establishment of a solid hydrogen market. For instance, in the United States, the hydrogen hubs program was created within the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act and further enabled by the Inflation Reduction Act, creating a total of 8 billion dollars in incentives. This massive investment plan aims to support the transition to a low-carbon energy system, including the creation of a reliable national low-carbon hydrogen network. In this context, the U.S. Department of Energy has made Air Liquide a partner in a record six out of seven Clean Hydrogen Hubs. Located in 16 states, these hubs will produce 3 million metric tonnes of low-carbon hydrogen per year, reaching nearly a third of the 2030 U.S. production target while abating 25 million tonnes of CO2 per year – the equivalent of 5.5 million gasoline-powered automobiles – and creating thousands of jobs.
