It is the first green loan worldwide to support low-carbon hydrogen production in alignment with the new China-EU Common Ground Taxonomy. SCIPIG will monitor the environmental benefits of this project on a regular basis and will report annually to the lender on selected indicators, including the annual avoided greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions and the hydrogen annual production volume. As they will replace a third party coal-based gasification unit, the new units will avoid the emission of 350 000 tpy of carbon dioxide.
Air Liquide issued a first SRI-labelled bond as early as 2012 to finance the expansion of its home healthcare business. In 2019, it signed a sustainability linked syndicated credit line and in 2021, it issued a green bond, raising €500 million dedicated to financing and refinancing the development of several sustainable projects, in particular in hydrogen, biomethane and oxygen.
Jérôme Pelletan, Chief Financial Officer of Air Liquide Group, said: “This green loan is a recognition of Air Liquide’s ability to uphold projects abiding by environmental standards. This is the first green loan to support low-carbon hydrogen production in alignment with the new China-EU Common Ground Taxonomy.”
