HDF Energy Press Release — Bordeaux, France, September 30, 2021
HDF Energy and its equity partners — infrastructure fund Meridiam and petroleum operator SARA (Rubis Group) — have announced the start of construction of the CEOG Renewstable® Power Plant in French Guiana. CEOG is the world’s first multi-megawatt hydrogen power plant and the largest green hydrogen storage of intermittent electricity sources (128MWh), representing a total investment of US$200 million. The plant will supply 100% renewable, stable and dispatchable power to 10,000 households at a lower cost than a diesel power plant, without emitting any greenhouse gas, fine particles, noise or fumes.
CEOG is an optimised combination of a solar park, a hydrogen long-term energy storage system and a battery (short-term energy storage), producing 24/7 baseload power under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement signed with French utility EDF. HDF Energy CEO Damien Havard said: “CEOG demonstrates that HDF Renewstable® solution addresses a very large market — all the grids currently powered by fossil fuel power plants. By supplying non-intermittent renewable energy, CEOG opens a new era for renewable energies.” The project is currently being duplicated in about 20 countries including Mexico, Caribbean island nations, Southern Africa, Indonesia and Australia. HDF has already established a Caribbean subsidiary based in Barbados with projects under development in the region, including Barbados. “The need for carbon-free locally sourced baseload power in the Caribbean is tremendous,” said VP Caribbean Thibault Menage. “Caribbean island nations have ambitious Renewable Energy targets, good sun and wind resources but need energy storage, and some are already looking at kick starting their green hydrogen economies.”