Low-carbon hydrogen plant on Seine axis

This facility, set to be operational by 2029, aims to bolster the local industrial ecosystem.

The project

The project, involving an investment of around €500 million, will produce hydrogen through water electrolysis, with a capacity of 350MW and an annual output of more than 50,000 tonnes of hydrogen. It will include a plant for synthetic fuels production using captured, recycled CO2, creating approximately 150 direct and 250 indirect jobs. The initiative will aid in decarbonising industrial sites in the port area and the maritime and aviation sectors.

Hydrogen in decarbonising mobility and industry

The new plant is strategically important for HAROPA PORT and the Rouen port community, driving industrial development and renewal focused on future technologies and production methods. The plant will support the decarbonisation of industrial activities across the region, with hydrogen increasingly becoming an essential resource for various applications within port ecosystems.

The agreement was signed by Dominique Ritz, deputy CEO of HAROPA PORT, and Antoine Huard, CEO of VERSO ENERGY, at the HAROPA PORT | Rouen regional offices, in the presence of several dignitaries.

Stéphane Raison, CEO of HAROPA PORT, stated: “We are proud to host the future production plant for decarbonised hydrogen proposed by VERSO ENERGY on Rouen port land. This major project confirms that the Seine Axis is a valley of new fuels and new mobility. Once again, HAROPA PORT has proven itself as a key actor in the energy and ecological transition, serving local regions and the economic fabric.”

Antoine Huard, CEO of VERSO ENERGY, said: “This industrial project is totally aligned with the national strategy for the development of hydrogen and sustainable fuels as essential vectors of industrial and transport decarbonisation. Rouen is a particularly favourable location for a project of this kind. We are pleased to be able to work with HAROPA PORT in driving this project, determined to contribute to the reindustrialisation of the country and the decarbonisation of our economy.”

Nicolas Mayer Rossignol, chair of the Rouen Normandy Urban District Authority, commented: “The arrival of Verso Energy will boost the regeneration of Rouen’s port areas, creating new activities and jobs. We thank HAROPA PORT for their commitment to this new facility. The Seine Valley plays a major role in decarbonising mobility and developing solution technologies. This investment contributes to that.”

Hervé Morin, chair of Normandy Regional Authority, stated: “Normandy Regional Authority has been a pioneer in developing new uses for hydrogen. As a leading industrial region with a diversified energy mix, Normandy is well-suited for developing this future energy source. The creation of this new industrial plant on HAROPA PORT land in Grand-Quevilly is a significant contribution to the industrial development of Normandy and the reindustrialisation of our economy, promoting a more virtuous development model.”