Air Liquide to Build a World-scale CO2 Capture Unit to Contribute to Rotterdam’s Industrial Basin Decarbonization

Air Liquide (Paris:AI) has announced that it will build, own and operate a world-scale carbon capture unit in the industrial basin of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, leveraging its proprietary Cryocap™ technology. The new unit will be installed at the Group’s hydrogen production plant located in the port of Rotterdam and will be connected to Porthos, one of Europe’s largest carbon capture and storage infrastructure aiming at significantly reducing CO2 emissions in this large industrial basin.

Air Liquide will capture the CO2 from its existing world-scale hydrogen plant in the port of Rotterdam, leveraging CryocapTM, a technological solution for CO2 capture using a cryogenic process. Captured CO2 will then be transported through the Porthos infrastructure, which is currently being developed, and permanently stored in depleted gas fields in the North Sea, approximately 20 kilometers off the coast. The carbon capture unit will be operational in 2026. Through this project, Air Liquide will be able to supply hydrogen that will be significantly decarbonized, to its long-term customers, as contracted.

The Porthos infrastructure overall will enable to reduce emissions by 2.5 million tons of CO2 per year – equivalent to around 10% of the current Rotterdam industry CO2 emissions. The European Union has recognised Porthos as a major cross-border infrastructure project, contributing to the achievement of energy and climate policy objectives, and has included Porthos to the list of Project of Common Interest.

Emilie Mouren-Renouard, member of Air Liquide’s Executive Committee and Chief Executive Officer of the Europe Industries Hub, said: “We are pleased to take another concrete step to contribute to the decarbonization of one of Europe’s largest industrial basins while participating to the development of Porthos. This new world-scale CO2 capture unit illustrates our expertise and commitment to implementing decarbonization solutions, both for our customers and our own assets, in line with the Group’s ADVANCE strategic plan to reduce its CO2 emissions by 33% by 2035.”

About Air Liquide Benelux

Air Liquide in Benelux comprises subsidiaries active in the production, distribution, and sale of industrial and medical gases, technologies and services. Founded in Belgium in 1906 and in the Netherlands in 1913, Air Liquide currently operates 28 industrial sites throughout the Benelux. The Group currently employs more than 1,200 people in this region, all activities taken together, and it supplies more than 122,000 customers and patients. Air Liquide operates 2,223 kilometers of industrial gas pipelines in the Benelux, which supply industrial basins from Mons to Rotterdam.

>> RELATED: Carbon Capture Revolution: ExxonMobil, FuelCell Energy, and Porthos Spearhead Sustainable Innovation

A world leader in gases, technologies and services for Industry and Health, Air Liquide is present in 73 countries with approximately 67,100 employees and serves more than 3.9 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are essential small molecules for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide’s scientific territory and have been at the core of the company’s activities since its creation in 1902.

Taking action today while preparing the future is at the heart of Air Liquide’s strategy. With ADVANCE, its strategic plan for 2025, Air Liquide is targeting a global performance, combining financial and extra-financial dimensions. Positioned on new markets, the Group benefits from major assets such as its business model combining resilience and strength, its ability to innovate and its technological expertise. The Group develops solutions contributing to climate and the energy transition—particularly with hydrogen—and takes action to progress in areas of healthcare, digital and high technologies.

Air Liquide’s revenue amounted to more than 29.9 billion euros in 2022. Air Liquide is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (compartment A) and belongs to the CAC 40, CAC 40 ESG, EURO STOXX 50, FTSE4Good and DJSI Europe indexes.

www.airliquide.com