Air Liquide to build large-scale electrolyzer in Rotterdam
This facility will produce 23,000 tons of hydrogen annually, using renewable energy from the sun and wind.
Published on July 25, 2025
© Danny Cornelissen
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French multinational Air Liquide has made the final investment decision to build a 200 MW electrolyzer project called ELYgator in the Netherlands. This facility will produce 23,000 tons of hydrogen annually, using renewable energy from the sun and wind, resulting in a reduction of up to 300,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year. The €500 million project aims to be operational by the end of 2027 and will supply renewable hydrogen to TotalEnergies' industrial platform through a long-term contract.
The ELYgator project, located in Maasvlakte, Port of Rotterdam, is co-funded by the European Union and supported by the Dutch government through the IPCEI Hydrogen and OWE subsidy schemes. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency is also supporting the project through these subsidy programs on behalf of the Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth.
"This investment decision is an important milestone and demonstrates our commitment to renewable hydrogen development. We firmly believe that robust, large-scale initiatives like ELYgator will deliver a real impact for the European industry and heavy-duty mobility sectors. We welcome the support from the Dutch Government, which has been instrumental in our decision to move forward with this significant decarbonization project. ELYgator illustrates our drive to develop concrete technologies and solutions that directly contribute to Europe’s ambitions towards climate neutrality by 2050,” stated Emilie Mouren-Renouard, Group Executive Committee member.
Hydrogen's role in the energy transition
Hydrogen offers solutions for energy storage, the decarbonization of industries, and heavy mobility, particularly where direct electrification isn't sufficient. It can be produced sustainably through methods like water electrolysis, and Air Liquide is committed to reducing the environmental footprint of its hydrogen production. Electrolyzers facilitate the flexible and clean delivery of energy, which is crucial for a more sustainable world. In combination with renewable energy, electrolyzers can provide low-carbon hydrogen for various applications, including mobility and industrial sectors.
Air Liquide has set ambitious sustainability goals, aiming to reduce its carbon emissions by one-third by 2035 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, targeting a turning point around 2025. To produce renewable hydrogen through electrolysis, the production site must be powered by renewable energy. Air Liquide is actively building long-term partnerships with renewable energy suppliers, having signed its largest group-level power-purchasing agreement in the Netherlands in the summer of 2022. This project aligns with Air Liquide's broader commitment to invest in future markets while reducing CO2 emissions.
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