© Lhyfe
French hydrogen producer Lhyfe has inaugurated its first German production facility, a 10 MW plant in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Baden-Württemberg, capable of producing up to four tonnes of renewable hydrogen per day.
First Industrial-Scale Site Outside France
The facility marks Lhyfe’s first industrial-scale site outside France and expands the company’s operational capacity to 21 MW. It positions Germany with its largest commercial renewable hydrogen plant to date, serving both mobility and industrial customers. Hydrogen produced at the site is certified as a renewable fuel of non-biological origin (RFNBO) under EU sustainability standards.
Technology and Production Capacity
The plant is powered entirely by renewable electricity secured through power purchase agreements, including with EDPR, and employs containerised, stackable electrolysis modules handling water treatment, electrolysis, purification, compression, and filling. The site’s infrastructure enables tube-trailer deliveries to customers across southern Germany, supporting sectors such as heavy-duty trucking, chemicals, steel, and glass, as well as the proposed H2-Aspen industrial hub.
Key Partnerships and Contracts
Lhyfe has already contracted with H2 Mobility, Germany’s largest refuelling network operator, to supply 1,200 tonnes of RFNBO hydrogen over five years from Schwäbisch Gmünd. Luc Graré, Lhyfe’s Head of Central & Eastern Europe, said the site represents “a new chapter in Lhyfe’s history in Germany” and will allow for “ever-increasing volumes and, in the long term, to develop on-site production units to meet the most significant needs.”
Funding and Regulatory Support
The €6.4 million project received €2.1 million from the State of Baden-Württemberg and €4.3 million from the EU’s European Regional Development Fund under the H2-Wandel model region programme. Certification under the RFNBO standard ensures eligibility for national and European incentive schemes and provides traceability of the hydrogen’s renewable origin.
Supply Chain and Market Context
Since beginning deliveries in Germany in 2023, Lhyfe has built a substantial distribution network, operating one of Europe’s largest tube-trailer fleets with 70 containers and completing over 470 deliveries in 2024 at a 99 per cent service rate. The expansion aligns with broader European hydrogen policy, which aims to scale renewable hydrogen production to support decarbonisation of transport and industry, while maintaining supply chain reliability.
Implications for Industry and Policy
Winfried Kretschmann, Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg, described the inauguration as “an important step forward in ramping up hydrogen technology,” while Environment Minister Thekla Walker emphasized the need for Germany to overcome infrastructure and cost challenges to compete in the international hydrogen market.
The Schwäbisch Gmünd plant illustrates both the technical and logistical maturity of Lhyfe’s operations and signals a continued push in Europe to expand green hydrogen production capacity, offering potential pathways for investors, industrial users, and policymakers focused on decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors.
