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Inauguration of France’s largest renewable-hydrogen production and distribution hub

| By Mary Bailey

SUEZ, along with SMITDUVM, SIPEnR, and the Banque des Territoires, have inaugurated the largest renewable hydrogen production and distribution station in France, directly powered by an energy-from-waste facility

After 12 months of construction, the project leaders of H2 Créteil have inaugurated a new renewable hydrogen production and distribution station, based in Créteil, connected to the energy-from-waste facility of the SMITDUVM, the local authority in charge of waste management in Val-de-Marne. As the first plant to be directly and exclusively connected to an energy-from-waste facility in France, this new unit will produce one ton of renewable hydrogen  per day from household waste. It provides a new energy solution for green mobility stakeholders in Val-de-Marne and, more broadly, in the Ile-de-France region.

Led by H2 Créteil, a company bringing together SUEZ, SIPEnR (a subsidiary of Sipperec) and the Banque des Territoires, this innovative project will use electricity generated from household waste combustion, coming from the 19 municipalities of the SMITDUVM. It will produce one ton of renewable hydrogen per day through water electrolysis, and the production capacity could eventually be doubled to reach two tons per day.

SUEZ, the operator of the Créteil energy-from-waste facility, has provided H2 Créteil with the land for the installation of the station’s equipment and will supply the water and electricity needed for the electrolysis process. SIPEnR provided financial support and legal expertise, while the Banque des Territoires completed the project’s financing as part of the European CEF Transport Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility program.

With this new infrastructure, the SMITDUVM advances the region’s energy transition. Starting from its commissioning in October 2025, the H2 Créteil station will supply hydrogen to Ile-de-France Mobilités bus line 103, operated by the RATP. It will also supply hydrogen for household waste collection trucks in Grand Paris Sud Est Avenir and neighbouring areas. Additionally, the station will be accessible to private vehicles 24/7 and has been listed since September 2025 on the FillnDrive app, which provides real-time information on hydrogen stations availability, refuelling capacity, and pump prices. Finally, the hydrogen produced can also be exported to other distribution stations across Ile-de-France.

The Créteil site offers the optimal setup for the development of hydrogen mobility. Its geographical location is a major asset: located near a key road junction (A86, RN 6, and RN 406) and numerous commercial areas, it is about a dozen kilometers from Paris. Hydrogen vehicles will thus be able to drive within the low-emission zone of the Greater Paris Metropolis and beyond without any tailpipe pollution.

This project, led by SMITDUVM, SUEZ, SIPenR, and the Banque des Territoires, will be one of the first to produce locally sourced renewable hydrogen at a price as competitive as diesel. It will help avoid the emission of approximately 1,500 tons of CO₂ equivalent per year, which is equivalent to the emissions of 17 diesel buses.

This hydrogen unit is part of the SMITDUVM’s strategy to improve the environmental footprint of the energy-from-waste facility, complementing the energy benefits derived from waste recovery (heat production for the urban heating network of Créteil and Maisons-Alfort as well as electricity to replace fossil energy).

Supported and financed by ADEME, the Ile-de-France Region, and the European Commission, this project reflects commitment of local territories to develop alternative energies to accelerate ecological transition. It aligns with the objectives of the national strategy for decarbonised hydrogen, which plans to allocate €9 billion euros by 2030 to develop this energy, beneficial for job creation, air quality, and the fight against climate change.

Axel Urgin, President of the SMITDUVM: For SMITDUVM, the creation of this hydrogen production and distribution station, directly connected to the Créteil plant, is a major milestone in our energy recovery strategy to support the ecological transition of Val-de-Marne. Unprecedented in France, this facility will not only be innovative in terms of the circular economy but also aims to highlight how sustainable development, far from being a hindrance or a constraint, can be a tremendous asset for private economic players. This is especially true when they adopt, as SUEZ has done, and for which I extend my thanks, a medium and long-term vision, which is essential for the reindustrialization of France.

Florence Crocheton-Boyer, President of SIPEnR: SIPEnR is proud to have successfully completed this project, which provides concrete solutions to the mobility challenges faced by local areas and their residents.

Richard Curnier, Ile-de-France Regional Director of the Banque des Territoires: This is an exemplary project for the energy transition in Ile-de-France: the first renewable hydrogen station directly supplied by energy-from-waste facility. This partnership between SMITDUVM, SUEZ, SIPEnR, and the Banque des Territoires demonstrates our shared commitment to green, local, and competitive mobility, serving local areas and their residents. With a production capacity of one ton of hydrogen per day starting in October 2025, this innovative infrastructure will contribute to reducing CO₂ emissions from both public and private transportation. It represents a major step towards a more sustainable Ile-de-France, aligned with national and European ambitions for decarbonised hydrogen.”