Lhyfe and Schaeffler enter multi-deal partnership, hydrogen included

German automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with French hydrogen producer Lhyfe that includes a technology partnership, green hydrogen, and a 15 MW industrial electrolysis plant in Herzogenaurach, Germany.

The first part of the agreement is in regard to green hydrogen, with Lhyfe producing and supplying it for Schaeffler.

Accordingly, a 15 MW electrolysis plant will be built and operated by Lhyfe on Schaeffler’s campus in Herzogenaurach, Germany.

According to Schaeffler, from 2025 on, the plant will supply its factory in Herzogenaurach and other regional customers with about 3.7 tonnes of green hydrogen daily.

Furthermore, the plant will supply green hydrogen to other Schaeffler locations as well as potential customers in the wider region, such as municipalities and hydrogen filling stations.

“The switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy is crucial to achieving our goal of climate-neutral production by 2030. In Lhyfe we have found an innovative partner for securing a demand of green hydrogen for our factory in Herzogenaurach over the long term. This agreement highlights Schaeffler’s strategic commitment to sustainability and hydrogen technology,” said Andreas Schick, Chief Operating Officer at Schaeffler.

Luc Graré, Head of Central & Eastern Europe Business at Lhyfe, said: “We are proud to support a giant company like the Schaeffler in its transformation towards a climate-neutral production by 2030. The rapid supply of green hydrogen continues to be a massive task. Large-scale projects like the one by Schaeffler prove the readiness of the technology, provide confidence and security in the market and strengthen the appetite for investment.”

As part of its ambition to establish decentralised hydrogen ecosystems of various plant sizes throughout Europe, Lhyfe plans to develop a 200 MW plant in Delfzijl, Netherlands as well.

Another part of Lhyfe’s new agreement with Schaeffler is a technology partnership which aims to promote the use of the German company’s electrolysis stacks.

Its electrolyzers consist of multiple metal bipolar plates layered on top of each other to form stacks, and inside each stack, electricity is used to drive a chemical reaction in which water is split into its basic components, the gases oxygen and hydrogen.

The LOI envisages a technology partnership under which Schaeffler will provide polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzers to Lhyfe.

“Schaeffler makes electrolyzer stacks that are ideal for decentralised applications in hydrogen production. Under the technology partnership with Lhyfe, we will contribute this know-how and develop it further for our business in the industrial division. This partnership shows that the market already sees us as a preferred partner for innovative electrolyzer solutions,” said Florian Windisch, Head of the Strategic Business Field of Hydrogen in Schaeffler’s industrial division.

Schaeffler CEO Klaus Rosenfeld added: “Schaeffler is on the right track in its hydrogen business. This partnership will support not just our electrolysis and fuel cell activities, but it will also support our new centre of excellence for hydrogen in Herzogenaurach. I am particularly delighted that in addition to the joint venture with Symbio, we have found another French partner in Lhyfe to promote hydrogen in Europe jointly.”

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