HDF Energy installs Ballard fuel cell system at CEOG project in French Guiana

Completing a significant milestone in a project to build the world’s first fully renewable, multi-megawatt, baseload-capable hydrogen power plant, HDF Energy has initiated the installation of the fuel cell system at its pioneering Centrale Électrique de l'Ouest Guyanais (CEOG) site in French Guiana.

Once operational, the facility will deliver around-the-clock decarbonized electricity to roughly 10,000 homes, addressing chronic energy shortages in the region. CEOG’s electrolyzer is expected to produce up to 600 tonnes of green hydrogen per year, supporting the delivery of a set production of electricity of 10MW for 12 hours during the day, and 3MW at night, completely emission-free.

Located near Saint-Laurent du Maroni in the west of the country, CEOG is designed to be the largest hydrogen storage of intermittent renewable electricity sources, creating stable, uninterrupted decarbonized electricity – providing support and enhanced zero-emission infrastructure to a region still heavily reliant on carbon-heavy fuels and susceptible to regular energy shortages.

"We are thrilled to announce the installation of HDF’s fuel cell system at the CEOG site, representing a major step forward for this groundbreaking project. Based on HDF's proprietary Renewstable® technology and incorporating Ballard's cutting-edge fuel cells, CEOG will deliver 100% renewable, stable electricity 24/7, covering the needs of around 10,000 households in Western French Guiana — a region currently facing significant energy deficits and growing demand."

Thibault Menage Regional Vice President, HDF Energy

HDF commenced construction of the CEOG site in 2021, which is part of a multi-stage development agreement with Ballard. The hydrogen-powered application consists of a stationary power plant that contributes towards a project to combine solar park, long-term hydrogen, and short-term battery storage, utilizing two Ballard containerized 1.5MW fuel cell power systems.

At the core of the project is HDF’s proprietary Renewstable® technology, which integrates a 55MWp solar farm, a 16MW green hydrogen electrolyzer from McPhy, and a hydrogen storage system feeding into Ballard’s 1.5MW fuel cells. This allows solar energy to be stored in the form of hydrogen and later reconverted to electricity when sunlight isn't available – effectively eliminating the intermittency issue which renewable applications can struggle with.

With the installation of the fuel cell system now in progress, the complete plant takes a big step towards the final goal of full operation. Once live, CEOG will supply clean electricity and prove hydrogen’s role as a viable, dependable utility-scale storage solution.