French oil major TotalEnergies has announced a partnership with industrial gases company Air Liquide to develop two green hydrogen projects aimed at decarbonizing Total's refineries in the Netherlands and Belgium. The investment of over 1 billion euros will see the construction of electrolysers powered by renewable electricity, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 450,000 metric tons annually. By producing hydrogen through water electrolysis, the projects aim to promote a greener fuel that only leaves water and oxygen as byproducts when burned. European governments are increasingly looking at hydrogen as a key element in replacing oil and natural gas in their economies by 2050. TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne reaffirmed the company's commitment to using renewable hydrogen as a feedstock in refineries to lower net CO2 emissions. The first project, a 200 MW electrolyser in Rotterdam, will be operational by the end of 2027, sourcing wind power from TotalEnergies' Dutch offshore wind farms. Despite the positive outlook, challenges such as high costs and uncertain demand have caused some energy companies to pause hydrogen projects. TotalEnergies remains cautious about expanding hydrogen refueling stations for passenger cars until there is sufficient financial viability. The partnership aims to establish a joint venture for a 250 MW electrolyser project in the Zeeland province of the Netherlands, further contributing to the green hydrogen transition in the region.