Siemens-backed start-up to build €1.3bn low-carbon hydrogen and fertiliser plant in northern France

FertigHy, a Siemens-supported European start-up, is building its first factory in northern France. Announced today, this €1.3 billion ($1.4 billion) plant will be located in the Hauts-de-France region. Construction will begin in 2027, and the facility is expected to be completed by 2030. The factory will use renewable and low-carbon electricity to produce hydrogen, which will then be used to make 500,000 tonnes of low-carbon nitrogen-based fertilizers, such as ammonia, each year.

Originally, when FertigHy was established last June by six European investors, the plan was to build the first plant in Spain. This Spanish plant was intended to produce over one million tonnes of nitrogen-based fertilizers using 100% renewable electricity and green hydrogen and then replicate this model across Europe. However, the company now plans to build a second factory in Spain, to become operational shortly after the French one.

FertigHy will receive support from the French government for its operations in France. CEO José Antonio de las Heras stated that the decision to build in northern France was influenced by the region's strong agricultural background and significant governmental support.

FertigHy aims to lead the low-carbon transition in the European fertilizer industry, producing affordable, low-carbon fertilizers for European farmers. This initiative addresses recent challenges in the EU and global food security caused by supply chain disruptions and uncertainties in natural gas supply.

The founding investors of FertigHy include EU-funded EIT InnoEnergy, Siemens Financial Services from Germany, Dutch brewer Heineken, Spanish renewables and green hydrogen developer RIC Energy, Italian engineering company Maire, and French agricultural group InVivo. Hauts-de-France is the northernmost region of France, bordering Belgium and home to cities like Lille and the ports of Calais and Dunkirk.