HDF energy breaks ground on world’s largest green hydrogen-power project in French Guiana

French hydrogen firm HDF Energy and its equity partners, the infrastructure fund Meridiam and the petroleum operator SARA (Rubis Group) have begun the construction of CEOG Power Plant in French Guiana. CEOG is the world’s first multi-megawatt hydrogen power plant. Weighing in at 128MWh, it includes the largest green hydrogen storage of intermittent electricity sources.

Representing a total investment of US$200 million, CEOG is an optimized combination of a solar park, a hydrogen long-term energy storage and a battery (short-term energy storage) to produce 24/7 baseload power. It is the first time that a renewable energy project will supply a grid through a capacity-based Power Purchase Agreement, usually used for thermal power plants. 

Designed and developed by HDF, the power plant will supply 100 percent renewable, stable and dispatchable power to 10,000 households at a lower cost than a diesel power plant. 

“By supplying non-intermittent renewable energy, CEOG – which we are already replicating across the world – opens a new era for renewable energies,” said Damien Havard, CEO of HDF Energy.

HDF believes this type of solution is scalable across the Caribbean and other island nations. Thibault Menage, VP Caribbean at HDF Energy, is keen to make the case: “The need for carbon-free, resilient and locally-sourced baseload power in the Caribbean is tremendous. Our solution proposes a competitive and bankable alternative to heavy fuel oil power plants. Caribbean island nations have ambitious renewable energy targets, good sun and wind resources but need energy storage. HDF has solutions and can finance them.”

CEOG is currently being duplicated in about 20 countries such as Mexico, Caribbean island nations, Southern Africa, Indonesia and Australia. Competitive with diesel power plants, the Renewstable power plant addresses a large power generation market. HDF has already identified a pipeline of US$3 billion.

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