It is hoped the investment will support growing demand for clean hydrogen generation using electrolysers, energy storage in flow batteries, and hydrogen fuel cells, as well as contributing to European and wider efforts to enable the clean energy transition.

Chemours has said its Nafion membranes provide ‘excellent’ separation of hydrogen and oxygen over a broad range of pressures and temperatures, which it believes makes them ‘ideally’ suited to meet the needs of hydrogen production.

Read more: Why Chemours is excited about hydrogen and the role of Nafion ionomers and membranes

Furthermore, the company says its Nafion PEM technology offers advantages including faster start-up, fewer components, smaller footprint, simpler footprint, and simpler maintenance.

As part of the new investment in the French site, H2 View understands Chemours looks to expand the manufacturing site to support and advance technological process of its Nafion products.

The investment follows on from a similar $200m spend to increase capacity and advance technology to support the hydrogen economy.

Read more: Chemours announces $200m investment to support hydrogen economy

According to Mark Newman, President and CEO at Chemours, the Villers-Saint-Paul facility had been chosen for the investment due to the alignment between the company’s sustainability growth vision, French hydrogen goals, and wider EU ambitions to meet its climate objectives.

“With the outstanding team at our Villers-Saint-Paul site, the surrounding community, and the entire Hauts-de-France region, we will expand the impact of our Nafion™ PEM technology to help drive decarbonisation at a global scale,” Newman said.

“Advancing the hydrogen economy is a winning formula for people and the planet, but its success requires product performance, innovation, scalable supply, and responsible, sustainable manufacturing,” added Denise Dignam, President of Advanced Performance Materials at Chemours.

Dignam continued, “Adding production capability in France provides direct, domestic access for Europe to our Nafion™ ion exchange materials while extending our global capacity to help our customers grow and fast-track implementation of hydrogen solutions.”