July 4, 2024
Low-carbon solutions to meet the electricity needs of a gigafactory construction site: Equans and AESC’s bet on hydrogen
While building a gigafactory for AESC Envision at the Renault site in Douai (59), Equans France has installed and commissioned an electro-hydrogen generator to replace a diesel generator, with the aim of making the construction site more sustainable and thereby reducing CO2 emissions by 80% compared to the use of a conventional diesel generator. The goal of AESC and Equans is to demonstrate the feasibility—particularly the operational feasibility—of such solutions, even on construction sites as large as the AESC gigafactory!
The Hyvision Solution: Improving Working Conditions on a Construction Site
On Tuesday, June 11, a 110kVA electro-hydrogen generator set, manufactured by the French company EODEV, was installed and commissioned at the AESC gigafactory construction site on the Renault campus in Douai (59) by Equans France. Equans France was selected by AESC to handle the design and installation of all technical systems for the future gigafactory—a first in this field.
With this virtuous and innovative reindustrialization project, AESC Envision is contributing to the revitalization of the Northern Basin both technically and in terms of decarbonization. The plant will be 100% electric and equipped with electric boilers and furnaces, as well as efficient equipment to optimize the resources needed for the design of electric batteries. This electro-hydrogen unit is part of a broader system called Hyvision, developed by Equans’ hydrogen teams in 2024. Turnkey and mobile, this system provides carbon-free energy to remote sites, construction sites, or events. Quiet, odorless, and smoke-free, this innovation reduces CO₂ emissions by 70% to 80% compared to a conventional diesel generator, representing approximately 1.15 kg of CO₂ avoided per kWh of electricity generated.
Hyvision will be tested for two months at the AESC construction site, where it will meet part of the site’s electricity needs: lighting, welding machines, blowers, and more. It will be powered by low-carbon hydrogen produced by electrolysis. In addition to the environmental benefits, the use of hydrogen provides greater comfort for operators and people near the construction site, with a significant reduction in noise pollution, and generates no fine particulate matter. This low-carbon solution nevertheless introduces logistical complexity, as the supply of hydrogen cylinders must be replenished regularly.
A circuit board to extend the operating range of the electro-hydrogen system
At the heart of this eco-friendly and innovative solution, Equans has developed a control panel that connects the hydrogen tanks to the electro-hydrogen generator. This control panel was custom-designed to meet the energy needs of temporary sites. It reduces the hydrogen pressure from 200 bars to 5–15 bars and sends monitoring data to Equans, thereby significantly extending the operating range of the electro-hydrogen power unit. Equans provides integration and commissioning, hydrogen supply, and energy management and monitoring.
Designed to be easy to implement for the rapid replacement of a diesel generator with a hydrogen-powered one, Hyvision enables reliable and predictable supply, detection of incidents such as leaks or excessive consumption, and data management for calculating a carbon footprint.
This solution combines intelligence, safety, efficiency, and performance to propel the hydrogen sector toward a cleaner and more efficient energy future, explains Caroline MAZZOLENI, Director of H2 and E-Fuel Operations at Equans France.
