Air Liquide Group issued 0.5 billion euro green bonds to build a global network of low-carbon hydrogen energy

global industrial gas giant Air Liquide (Air Liquide) announced on April 16, 2025 the completion of the 0.5 billion euro green bond issue, the funds will be earmarked to accelerate the deployment of low-carbon hydrogen energy technology and infrastructure upgrades, marking its 2050 net zero emissions target has taken a key step. The financing is seen as a milestone in the global energy transition and will drive the transition of hydrogen energy from a high-emission industrial sector to a clean energy core track.

The bond proceeds will be focused on two major technological breakthroughs: one is the large-scale application of electrolytic water hydrogen production (PEM/ALK electrolyzer), and the other is the coupling upgrade of steam methane reforming (SMR) and carbon capture technology (CCS). The former produces zero hydrocarbons through the electrolysis of water from renewable energy, while the latter cuts carbon emissions from traditional hydrogen production by more than 90%. The group plans to build 5 10,000-ton electrolytic water hydrogen production bases in Europe, North America and Asia, and upgrade the CCS systems of 20 existing SMR plants. It is estimated that the carbon intensity of hydrogen energy will be reduced by 65% by 2030.

Another core use of funds is to build a global hydrogen energy storage and transportation network. Air Liquide will build 3000 kilometers of hydrogen pipelines, 12 liquid hydrogen storage and transportation centers and 500 hydrogenation stations, forming an integrated network of "production-storage-transportation-addition. Key layout areas include the provision of hydrogen-based direct reduced iron (DRI) solutions for steel companies, the development of liquid hydrogen fuel supply systems for the shipping industry, and the construction of a heavy-duty truck hydrogen corridor in Europe. The group revealed that the world's first "hydrogen energy industrial zone" will be built in the Ruhr area of Germany by 2026, realizing the direct supply of hydrogen pipelines to 10 leading enterprises such as chemical industry and steel.

this financing was included in the group's "ADVANCE" sustainable development plan, which calls for increasing the proportion of low-carbon hydrogen energy business revenue from the current 15% to 40% by 2030. Analysts pointed out that liquefied air has formed a unique competitive advantage in the field of hydrogen energy through the "technology patent + infrastructure network" two-wheel drive: its number of electrolyzer technology patents is the world's leading, CCS technology covers 70% of the world's blue hydrogen production projects. The group CEO stressed: "This is not a simple capacity expansion, but a strategic investment to reshape the global energy map."

data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows that global low-carbon hydrogen energy investment will reach US $120 billion billion in 2024, but only 20% of the funds will go to infrastructure. Air Liquide's financing will fill this gap, and its hydrogen energy network is expected to drive the coordinated development of 300 upstream and downstream enterprises, generating more than 20 billion euros in equipment procurement demand. Experts from the German Energy Agency commented: "When industry leaders begin to build a'highway' for hydrogen energy, the commercialization process of the entire market will accelerate for 3-5 years."