Hydrogen

Leading region
in terms of value chain representation

100 establishments
1,200 employees
2 electrolyser gigafactories
1 fuel cell gigafactory

1 CMI Hydrogen Energy and Energy Efficiency
4 engineering schools linked to the sector
Hydrogen-focused BTS, bachelor’s and master’s degrees

The objective of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté is to become a Positive Energy and carbon neutral region looking forward to 2050. The Hydrogen roadmap, developed in conjunction with all those involved in the hydrogen ecosystem, confirms the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region’s commitment to embracing the challenge of ecological and energy transition. The projects and territories committed to hydrogen in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté have received more than €800 million in support from the French State and the Region.

6 reasons to choose Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

• Public research at the highest international level
• Test and trial centres (fuel cells, EMC, electrolysers, ICE H2 technology, etc.)
• Applied industrialists throughout the value chain
• Competitiveness clusters and active clusters
• Committed local authorities
• Development of new dedicated training courses

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Some companies in the sector

Adhex, Alstom, Avia, Avions Mauboussin, CLHYNN, Colibri Energie, Delfingen, Dephis, DYG Energy, Engie, Forvia, Fruehauf, Gaussin, General Electric, Gen-Hy, H2Sys, Hynamics, Inocel, Inovyn, Justy, Lamberet, Laser Cheval, Mac Plus, Magyar, Mahytec (Groupe HENSOLDT), McPhy, Mincatec Energy, Oreca, Packmat, Pressmac Presse Étude, SBM Chauffage, Schiever, Schrader Pacific, SETAP, Stellantis, Streit Group, Sundyne, Texys, Total Énergies, Vaison Sport, Valmetal, XYDROGEN, etc.

Involved partners

• Pôle Véhicule du Futur : This competitiveness cluster for vehicles and mobility solutions supports projects and their deployment in the Hydrogen field (stationary, mobile application, energy, carbon intensity reduction in industry), coordinates the H2BFC Club and organises the H2BFC Forum.
• Polymeris : Competitiveness cluster dedicated to rubber, plastic and composites supporting H2 storage and transport reduction solutions as well as innovative new materials for electrolysers.
• Mecateamcluster : Cluster specialising in the design, development and maintenance of heavy-duty railway machinery and infrastructure, studying electrification solutions.
• Vallée de l’Énergie : Cluster of industrial and academic stakeholders involved in the design and manufacture of low-carbon solutions (hydrogen, renewable energy, nuclear, etc.) and the reduction in the carbon intensity of industrial
  activities and uses.
• Vitagora : Agribusiness and agricultural equipment competitiveness cluster relating to the H2 sector: vehicle fleets, agrivoltaism, carbon intensity reduction in industry

A state-of-the-art scientific and technical environment

• Unité d’Appui et de Recherche FCLAB : fuel cell research and services unit.
• Institut FEMTO-ST : the first CNRS laboratory for hydrogen energy at national level.
• Laboratoire Drive de l’ISAT : research department in electric vehicle engineering with a focus on hydrogen for the environment.
• ISTHY : H2 storage system certification and requalification centre
• Laboratoire ICB : development of advanced materials, study of their durability, processes and reactivity phenomena at solid/solid and solid/gas interfaces
• Plateforme pile à combustible de l’UTBM : one of the most important European public facilities for research, testing and industrial transfer in the field of hydrogen energy and fuel cell systems.

McPhy

• Type de project: creation
• Activity: hydrogen production and distribution equipment
• Location: Belfort (90)
  
• Partners: État, Région BFC, Grand Belfort
• Expected jobs: 400
  

As a specialist in hydrogen production and distribution equipment, McPhy is contributing to the worldwide deployment of zero-carbon hydrogen as a solution for the energy transition. On February 10, 2022, the establishment of McPhy in Belfort was confirmed. The objective is to start production in the first half of 2024 with a gradual ramp-up to a capacity of 1GM per year. The construction of this new industrial infrastructure would represent an investment of 30 to 40 M€. It would lead to the creation, at full load, of more than 500 McPhy jobs, including 400 in France.

Gen-Hy

• Type de project: Design, manufacture and marketing of electrolysers
  
• Activity: Automotive industry
  
• Location: Montbéliard (25)
• Partners: État, Région BFC, Pays de Montbéliard Agglomération, SEM PMIE, ADN-FC
  
• Expected jobs: 120

A spin-off of FlexFuel Energy Development, a company specialising in future technologies, Gen-Hy has developed a new generation of electrolysers incorporating its innovative and patented ZERO GAP technology (Anion Exchange Membrane). The company, whose R&D is historically based in the south of the Ile-de-France region, has chosen to set up in the Pays de Montbéliard Agglomération, and in particular in the Technoland 2 business park, to produce its range of Hy-Cube® electrolysers on a large scale. Gen-Hy announces the creation of 120 jobs by 2025 on the site.

Belfort e-start
Creation of the largest renewable energy community in France and the first in the commercial building sector, with 3.3 MWp of photovoltaic production capacity, coupled with energy storage solutions based on batteries and green hydrogen.

Danjoutin station (Belfort)
Multimodal H2 production, storage and distribution station to power Greater Belfort’s buses

Habitat 90 territory
New demonstration building equipped with a system for producing, storing and using hydrogen for heating and domestic hot water.

Prima H4 hydrogen locomotive
Locomotive manufactured by Alstom Belfort designed for shunting operations and road works.

ISTHY – Institut de STockage de l’HYdrogène (Hydrogen storage institute)
Unique French center for testing, certification and periodic requalification of H2 tanks and components

Dijon Métropole Smart Energhy
Deployment of a hydrogen ecosystem with applications for mobility and stationary applications: refuse collection vehicles, buses, trucks, cars…

AUXR_H2 (Auxerre)
Development of an ecosystem focused mainly on mobility applications (buses, HGVs, LGVs, light commercial vehicles, regional express trains), retrofits and training.

TES – Schiever Group Energy Transition
First private heavy H2 mobility ecosystem: production, storage and distribution station + fleet of H2 refrigerated trucks

CMI Hydrogène-Énergie et Efficacité Énergétique – Université de Franche-Comté

The CMI Hydrogen-Energy and Energy Efficiency offered by the University of Franche-Comté provides a 5-year training course for engineers in energy production and management, with students who will be experts in the fields of energy efficiency and clean energy, with particular expertise in hydrogen energy (production, transport and stationary applications, etc.). A highly selective training programme of excellence, the first class of which graduated in 2019.

This CMI trains engineers in innovative techniques for the production and management of energy, particularly thermal and electrical energy, with a focus on an energy carrier of the future: hydrogen.

Specialised Master in Hydrogen Energy – Université de Technologie Belfort-Montbéliard

The objective of this specialised Master’s degree in hydrogen energy is to acquire expertise, a double competence in the field of hydrogen energy or to deepen this field with a view to career development by covering both the theoretical and field aspects. More specifically, graduates will be able to:

• Analyse the suitability of hydrogen for an application,
• Compare and choose ways to produce, store, distribute and consume hydrogen,
• Design and operate stationary and on-board systems,
• Contribute to the development of a new hydrogen activity in a company or a hydrogen ecosystem,
• Respect the regulations and manage the risks,
• Know the major players in the value chain.

Find out about other training courses