Lhyfe, a green hydrogen producer which will use electrolysis to produce hydrogen has announced that it will use flexibility in its electrolyser capacity to help balancing the French electricity grid.
The company has announced a partnership with software and energy optimisation company Energy Pool to offer a demand response service. Lhyfe will reduce its electrolyser to reduce the load on the grid during peak times and other periods as required by the French grid operator so it does not have to call on polluting or costly back-up power stations. The partners will also use the site flexibility to sell on the secondary reserve market.
Lhyfe says it is the first time these balancing services have been provided by a hydrogen producer, and they will help to enhance grid efficiency, facilitate the integration of renewables and reduce the ecological impact and cost of Lhyfe’s energy consumption. Energy Pool will manage demand response events for Lhyfe in the wholesale markets. Lhyfe says its flexible electrolysers “will be able to respond instantly to signals from the grid”.
The five-year collaboration with Energy Pool, starting in 2025, will call on electrolysers totalling 30MW at three sites in France – Buléon, Bessières and Le Cheylas sites.