France's HDF continues "Renewstable"-themed expansion in Asia, Africa

Hydrogene de France SA (EPA:HDF), the developer of a power-to-power concept that revolves around the storage of renewables using green hydrogen, is putting more and more work into beefing up its pipeline in Asia, which it has labeled as one of its five priority regions, but also on other continents.

Over the past few years, the company, also known as HDF Energy, has concentrated its efforts on two particular projects – the Centrale Electrique de l’Ouest Guyanais (CEOG), or the Western Guiana Power Plant, in French Guiana and a duplication of that scheme in Barbados. Both involve the development of Renewstable power plants, the name chosen by HDF Energy for its multi-megawatt concept for the production of stable electricity 24h/day through the use of intermittent renewable energy sources and on-site hydrogen energy storage.

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Since the start of the year, the company has announced plans for Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia and the Philippines. Just last week, it unveiled the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Indonesia with The Central Public Service Survey and Testing Centre For Electricity, New, Renewable Energy And Energy Conservation (BBSP KEBTKE) of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR).

The pact outlines plans to undertake joined studies to support Renewstable plants in Indonesia. HDF said in a statement that it is developing a pipeline of more than 20 projects in the country for an investment amount of USD 1.5 billion (EUR 1.52bn).

“Indonesia is facing unique constraints due to its archipelago context. Our Renewstable power plants could assist Indonesia to decarbonise its grids while accompanying the Government agenda to support Eastern Indonesia development. Our projects pipeline will put Indonesia at the forefront of green hydrogren projects in Asia,” stated Mathieu GEZE, President Director, PT HDF Energy Indonesia.

A couple of days earlier, HDF announced it was awarded 1,782 hectares of land in the South African province of Mpumalanga by local utility Eskom Holdings SOC in order to develop several projects worth about USD 3 billion in total. More specifically, HDF is expected to deploy 1,500 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity and more than 3,500 MWh of hydrogen-based long-term storage at six different locations.

Also in Africa, HDF is developing the multi-megawatt Renewstable Swakopmund hydrogen power plant in Namibia, the cost of which is estimated at EUR 181 million.

Apart from Renewstable, the company also develops multi-megawatt gas-to-power projects branded as HyPower that generate electricity on demand from green hydrogen from gas transportation networks.

The table below includes a summary of all projects initiated and developed by HDF Energy around the world as of late September 2022.

In addition to renewable energy plants and electrolysers, HDF’s Renewstable architecture also relies on fuel cells. For this reason, the company is developing the Blanquefort factory in Bordeaux to mass-produce high-power fuel cells for Renewstable power plants. Some of the output will be supplied to the high-power maritime and rail markets, as well as data centers.

HDF obtained the building permit for the factory in the summer of 2022. It is expected to be commissioned next year.

(USD 1 = EUR 1.014)