Wedoany.com Report-Apr. 22, Gen-Hy, a French start-up specializing in green hydrogen production, has secured €99.84 million in public funding from the French government through Bpifrance. The announcement coincides with Industry and Energy Minister Marc Ferracci’s visit to Gen-Hy’s facility in Allenjoie, Doubs, on April 22, 2025. The funding will support the construction of France’s first factory for AEM (Anion Exchange Membrane) membranes and electrolysers in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region. The project, approved by the European Commission in May 2024 under the Hy2Move Hydrogen IPCEI, aims to advance renewable hydrogen production.
“We are honored by the French government's support for our project, and particularly by the Prime Minister François Bayrou,” said Sébastien Le Pollès, CEO of Gen-Hy. “We are delighted with this award, which will enable us to accelerate the development and mass production of our high-efficiency electrolyser technology. France is thus reducing its strategic dependence on rare materials.”
Collaborating with Eiffage Energie Systèmes and Saint-Gobain Solutions Haute Performance, Gen-Hy is positioned as a key contributor to decarbonizing industries, mobility, and energy sectors. Nicolas Miègeville, Managing Director of Saint-Gobain Ceramics, stated: “With Gen-Hy, we share the same vision: to create unique solutions to meet the challenges of the green hydrogen market. This French and European support is a real boost to accelerate the launch of innovative technologies!”
The Allenjoie factory, where construction has begun, is set to start operations in the first quarter of 2026. It will produce 350 AEM electrolyser units annually, with capacities ranging from 100 kW to 2 MW. The facility is expected to create 150 jobs within four years, with a long-term goal of 250 positions.
Gen-Hy’s AEM electrolysers feature proprietary technology, including AEM membranes and catalytic deposits free of rare earth materials. The company is unique in producing all components of the hydrogen production chain, from membranes to complete electrolyser systems, under one roof. This technology enables efficient, low-cost, high-purity green hydrogen production, targeting 85% efficiency in its initial phase and 90% in the subsequent phase.
The project aligns with the Hy2Move IPCEI, a European initiative launched in December 2020 to foster innovation in hydrogen-related equipment and decarbonization, particularly in mobility. Gen-Hy, operating as Gen-Hy Cube SAS, has been developing its Gen-AEM® technology since 2019, combining the efficiency of PEM technology with the reliability of alkaline systems, without relying on scarce materials.
