Heroes in the field
Lhyfe Leads the Way in Digital Certification for Renewable Hydrogen and is the First French Player to Obtain RFNBO Certification
Lhyfe, a leader in renewable hydrogen production, has become the first player in the sector to guarantee the digital traceability and certification of its hydrogen through the launch of digital passports for hydrogen. The company is also the first French player to be certified RFNBO for its production site in Bouin, France.
This achievement is made possible through a partnership with the digital product certification start-up, Atmen. This initiative represents a major step towards Lhyfe achieving its ambition and certifying renewable hydrogen delivered to its clients.
Ensuring Market Confidence
Lhyfe already operates four production sites in Europe with a total installed capacity of 22 MW and several others under construction (including two 10 MW sites). In 2024, the company made more than 470 deliveries, mainly in France and Germany, using a fleet of around 70 containers, and with a service rate of 99%. These figures show just how rapidly the industry has developed since 2020, indicating its readiness for industrialisation.
To address the market’s need for confidence amidst this expansion, Lhyfe established “Digital Product Passports” for its hydrogen. These passports provide full transparency on the hydrogen’s origin, carbon footprint, and certification. They can confirm that the hydrogen qualifies as a “Renewable Fuel of Non-Biological Origin” (RFNBO), enabling customers to trust the sustainability and quality of their purchases, and to count their hydrogen towards the EU RFNBO targets in hard-to-electrify industry, heavy transportation, and shipping (see Lhyfe’s related press release here). Lhyfe’s partnership with Atmen enabled the development of a robust traceability system for renewable hydrogen through digital passports with unprecedented precision and granularity.
Digital Passports: Transparency for Climate Integrity
Since January of this year, each hydrogen delivery from Lhyfe’s Bouin site (with the other sites soon to follow) can be accompanied by a “Digital Product Passport at the customer’s request.” The passports provide a comprehensive and accurate description of the carbon footprint of the hydrogen produced, including detailed information on:
- Electricity supply: Where, when and how the electricity used in the production process was generated;
- Integrated emissions: Calculations of the carbon intensity of the process, broken down step by step;
- Contribution of the entire supply chain: The impact of each stage of processing and logistics on the carbon footprint of the hydrogen produced.
Setting the Benchmark for Trust in Renewable Hydrogen
“With digital passports, we are increasing confidence in the sustainability of our hydrogen,” says Matthieu Guesné, CEO of Lhyfe, adding “we invite the industry to follow this practice, which will enable us to develop the sector in the same spirit of trust. More generally, since the creation of Lhyfe, we have seen that the urgency of tackling climate change has enabled us to differentiate ourselves and to win the support not only of our customers but also of renowned financial partners such as Mitsui and EDP, who contribute to the solidity of the company.”
Mr. Guesné urges French and European decision-makers to establish a clear, stable and coherent regulatory and incentive framework, providing the industry with the visibility needed for swiftly unlocking investments in the energy transition. The publication of the RFNBO production rules enabled Lhyfe to begin the certification process of its hydrogen. He further stressed, “It is now important to not modify such an acquis, which took time to be adopted, and to concentrate on stimulating demand going forward. As with any emerging sector, substantial support from national governments and the European Union will be essential to secure sufficient consumption volumes to build a sustainable market.”
Building trust and confidence is essential when creating a new business. Lhyfe’s approach serves as a landmark for other market players aiming to advance the renewable hydrogen sector.
