Hydrogen takes its place in the country's future energy mix

Energy costs: a core concern for the French

Unsurprisingly, the French are increasingly worried about their growing energy bills. In 2022, 8 out of 10 French people say they have seen them going up, and 92% consider they will continue to rise in 2023. Nearly half of them (43%) even reveal they have experienced difficulty in paying those bills (58% of them in lower social groups), despite spending plans frequently being put in place (47%).

Hydrogen still seen as an energy source for the future

In the eyes of a large majority of French people, hydrogen is still seen as an energy source for the future, due in particular to its “clean” nature and its usefulness in reducing carbon emissions; few people see it as hazardous.
However, only 37% of them judge public investment in this area to be sufficient.

At present, the development of research into hydrogen is perceived as a good thing by the French (89%), especially by those who say they are familiar with this energy source. They think it is particularly important for strengthening France’s energy independence (85%) and avoiding the risk of shortages (86%).

Be that as it may, significant work is still needed to raise awareness, since only a quarter of French people say they have heard talk of the hydrogen storage and transport infrastructure projects that will allow its use to be extended on a massive scale.

With the HySoW (Hydrogen South West)

To accelerate the transition to decarbonised hydrogen in our energy mix, Teréga has launched the HySoW project, a hydrogen transport and storage infrastructure, and a major element in the coming European hydrogen backbone. This project qualifies as a Project of Common Interest (PCI) under the new Trans-European Networks for Energy (TEN-E) regulation (EU/2022/869).

At the heart of Occitanie and Nouvelle Aquitaine, the Hydrogen South West Corridor of France project, known as HySoW and being driven forward by Teréga, slots into the aims of securing energy supplies while accelerating the ecological translation and decarbonisation. The ambition is to develop storage and transport infrastructures for renewable and low-carbon hydrogen by 2030, enabling the interconnection of major industrial and mobility hubs in the territories of Occitanie and Nouvelle-Aquitaine with flows of locally-produced hydrogen such as those coming from Southern Europe, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coast (French production and imports). This project also aims to strengthen security of supply across the whole energy system through hydrogen storage and an H2 to Power project.