DOMO Chemicals partners with Hynamics to manufacture polyamides from low-carbon hydrogen

DOMO Chemicals, a leading manufacturer of engineered polyamide materials, and Hynamics, a 100 percent subsidiary of EDF Group specializing in the production of low-carbon hydrogen, have formed a collaboration project with the goal of achieving zero-carbon for 100 percent of the hydrogen used at the Belle-Étoile industrial site in Saint-Fons (south of Lyon, France), in the heart of the French Vallée de la Chimie (“Chemistry Valley”).

The “HyDom” project will enable the development of an 85-megawatt (MW) hydrogen production plant utilizing the water electrolysis technique at the Belle-Étoile site for the first time in France, with a production capacity of 11,000 metric tons of low-carbon hydrogen per year. The facility will be powered by a low-carbon electric power mix from France. It will supply 100 percent of the yearly output of hexamethylene diamine, a crucial component used in the manufacture of plastics, by 2027.

The project will eventually prevent the emission of 84 kilotons of CO2 each year. Hexamethylene diamine, and eventually long-lasting and low-carbon polyamides, will be employed in a variety of applications across important industry sectors, including automotive, electronics, and heating and cooling.

This research is a significant step toward decarbonizing industrial locations that utilize grey hydrogen (produced from fossil fuels). The position in the Vallée de la Chimie, close to key transportation lines, provides possibilities for the development of a more comprehensive hydrogen ecosystem.

The initial part of the project will consist of developing and validating technological concepts, as well as integrating the low-carbon hydrogen generation facility into the broader hexamethylene diamine manufacturing process.

Given the high-power size of the proposed electrolytic hydrogen production facility, the HyDom project is being developed in close coordination with RTE (the French power grid management agency) to resolve connection concerns. HyDom is a priority initiative for the industry’s zero-carbon strategy and the “France 2030” investment plan, and it has been offered to the European Commission for public financing.

Christelle Rouillé, CEO of Hynamics, said that in keeping with the aims set forth in the France 2030 investment plan for a robust and decarbonized industrial sector, Hynamics is happy to help major hydrogen-consuming manufacturers in their decarbonization efforts. The project’s scope, which was started in collaboration with DOMO Chemicals, illustrates Hynamics’ competence in building industrial electrolytic hydrogen generation projects with a high environmental effect. Their initiative marks an essential step toward industrial sovereignty and meeting their climate goals by replacing the unit that presently produces hydrogen from natural gas.

Yves Bonte, CEO of DOMO Chemicals, said that the reduction of CO2 emissions remains a big problem for the industry. DOMO’s low carbon footprint solutions are designed to assist clients to meet their individual CO2 emission reduction objectives. This collaborative investment in a low-carbon hydrogen unit to replace the existing natural gas-based production unit will give the Lyon region the first hydrogen infrastructure. This strategic alliance will assist them – and perhaps an entire ecosystem in the Vallée de la Chimie – in meeting DOMO’s ambitious 2030 targets for decarbonization, renewable energy utilization, and customer solutions.