JV to revamp French foundry as solar and hydrogen hub

Illustration of the planned development of the former Fonderies du Poitou foundry. Image: Lhyfe

Lhyfe a producer and supplier of green hydrogen, and TSE, an independent solar energy producer will establish a solar park and a green and renewable hydrogen production unit.

A year after the closure of the Poitou foundry, the Commercial Court of Paris agreed to the acquisition of the land and real estate assets, including the Ingrandes Foundry site, encompassing 43 hectares and 40,000m² of buildings, as well as the Oyré Technical Landfill Centre, spanning 35 hectares.

Collaborative hub

The consortium formed by Lhyfe and TSE will assume control over the Ingrandes Foundry site, on which it aims to work with various renewables-oriented companies within the industrial park.

Ghislain Robert, sales director for France at Lhyfe, said, “The Ingrandes Foundry site project by Lhyfe and TSE is exceptionally ambitious. The plan encompasses dismantling existing infrastructure, revitalising the site through eco-friendly processes aided by the Green Fund, and laying the foundation for an ecologically sound industrial park, where companies will synergistically collaborate.”

TSE will assume full ownership of the Technical Landfill Centre, dedicating the land exclusively to a solar energy production plant capable of generating 45GWh of energy.

The photovoltaic power facilities will contribute to powering the Ingrandes Foundry site, supporting Lhyfe’s green and renewable hydrogen production operations.

Green energy industrialisation

The combined energy output from the solar facilities is projected to equal half of the energy consumption of the city of Poitiers, marking a significant contribution to the region’s clean energy goals.

The JV says its collaboration has already generated interest from various companies to participate in the project. Notably, an industrial logistics company plans to establish a sprawling 20,000m2 logistics centes at the Ingrandes site, alongside companies specializing in e-fuel production such as e-methanol and rDME.

Construction of the green energy hub is expected to create between 250 to 300 jobs, offering a significant economic boost to the region.