FC Clean H2 IRN (English subtitles)

The coordinators of the FC Clean H2 International Research Network (IRN), Christophe COUTANCEAU (Université de Poitiers) and Bruno POLLET (Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières), tell us about their French-Canadian collaboration.

FC Clean H2 is an IRN launched in 2024 that brings together researchers from France and Canada to help solve scientific and technological challenges in the field of low-carbon hydrogen production. The French partners involved are CNRS, Université de Poitiers, Université de Bordeaux, Nantes Université, Université Grenoble Alpes, INP Grenoble, and Université de Franche-Comté. The Canadian partners are Université du Québec à Trois Rivières (UQTR), University of Calgary, Simon Fraser University (SFU), University of British Columbia (UBC), Institut national (québécois) de la recherche scientifique (INRS). The French leader of the network is Professor Christophe Coutanceau from the University of Poitiers. In Canada, the network’s leader is Professor Bruno Pollet of the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR).

FC Clean H2 aims to advance hydrogen production technologies, particularly from renewable sources, by bringing together specialists from a variety of disciplines. The objective is to make it profitable to implement hydrogen in the French and Canadian energy ecosystems, positioning both countries as world leaders. The focus is on developing low-cost technologies using materials and systems from France and Canada, with an emphasis on accessibility and adoption by industry.

The scientific program will be divided into five main themes:

• Materials for low-temperature electrolysis
• Materials for high-temperature electrolysis
• Materials for hydrogen production by photo(electro)catalysis
• Biomass reforming (thermal and non-thermal)
• Energy systems, system integration and energy management

The network will encourage and support French and Canadian researchers in their participation in joint projects in the field of low-carbon technologies, notably under the Horizon Europe program.