In a significant step for Europe’s renewable hydrogen industry, French green hydrogen pioneer Lhyfe has become the first company in France to receive the EU’s RFNBO (Renewable Fuel of Non-Biological Origin) certification. The recognition applies to its Bouin production facility in Vendée, which has an installed capacity of 1 MW and has been certified since May 23.

The RFNBO label, the European Union’s highest ecological standard for renewable hydrogen, ensures that hydrogen is produced through water electrolysis powered by 100% renewable electricity. It also accounts for greenhouse gas emissions across the entire hydrogen lifecycle—including transportation. With this certification, Lhyfe’s customers can now demonstrate the sustainability of the hydrogen they purchase, unlocking access to national and EU incentive schemes aimed at scaling clean fuel usage.

Lhyfe’s Bouin site is France’s first to obtain the certification. Similar validations are underway for its operational French sites in Bessières and Buléon, and for its German facility in Schwäbisch Gmünd.

Lhyfe CEO Matthieu Guesné called the certification a milestone the market had been “waiting for,” adding that the company is rapidly expanding certified production across Europe to support widespread industrial and transport decarbonisation.

The company partnered with three key players to achieve certification. Atmen provided a real-time digital compliance platform to track and report carbon intensity. CertifHy, whose scheme was among the first approved by the EU, ensured regulatory alignment. TÜV SÜD, one of the earliest authorised auditors, carried out the certification.

This milestone builds on Lhyfe’s momentum. The company now operates two 5 MW plants in France, has launched a 10 MW facility in Germany, and is developing multiple large-scale projects across Europe—including a 100 MW site backed by €149 million in French government funding.

Founded in 2021, Lhyfe became the world’s first green hydrogen producer to link a production site directly to a wind farm. The RFNBO certification further strengthens its position as a trusted player in Europe’s clean energy transition.

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Lhyfe becomes first French player to obtain European RFNBO certification