French pipemaker Vallourec’s hydrogen storage solution, called Delphy, will be integrated into worldwide hydrogen and green ammonia production projects implemented by Italian energy transition specialist NextChem Tech, a subsidiary of Maire Group.
Vallourec and NextChem will research synergies between Nextchem’s green ammonia production technologies and Vallourec’s high-capacity hydrogen storage solution. Delphy will help sort the intermittency issue in producing green hydrogen from renewable energy, ensuring continuous supply to industrial processes, particularly green ammonia production, Kallanish notes.
Delphy is an underground system capable of storing up to 100 tonnes of gaseous hydrogen. In December last year, Vallourec inaugurated a Delphy demonstrator at its site in Aulnoye-Aymeries, northern France. The demo is made of tubes and connections equipped with sealing technology and corrosion resistance. It is installed underground and is designed for green hydrogen producers and users for industrial applications and heavy mobility.
Over the past two years, Vallourec has been developing its New Energies division, a portfolio of solutions designed to support the energy transition, including geothermal, hydrogen storage, carbon sequestration, solar and biomass. The pipemaker is also working on a new protocol to test its tubular solution for safe hydrogen transport. A research team is studying its VAM 21 connection behaviour at temperatures and tensions relevant for the storage of hydrogen.
Vallourec aims to reach 10-15% of Ebitda from New Energies by 2030. Last month, ArcelorMittal agreed to acquire 28.4% of the company. ArcelorMittal ceo Aditya Mittal said Vallourec has a critical role to play in the energy transition, producing vital products for hydrogen, carbon capture and geothermal applications, for which demand is expected to grow (see Kallanish passim).
Natalia Capra France
