Folell’Hy: Corsica Sole launches Corsica’s first pilot green hydrogen production plant

On Thursday 17 September 2026, Corsica Sole inaugurated Folell’Hy, its pilot plant for the production, storage and distribution of green hydrogen, located at the heart of the Folelli solar power station in Penta-di-Casinca.

This new facility is trialling a practical solution for utilising solar electricity that cannot be fed into the grid: converting it into renewable hydrogen that can be stored, transported and used locally.

More than 80 people gathered to tour the site and celebrate the completion of this project: elected representatives, government officials, partners, participating companies and Corsica Sole staff.

In the afternoon, the site also opened its doors to nearly 80 university and secondary school students who came to explore the facilities and learn about careers in the energy sector.

Making the most of solar electricity that cannot be fed into the grid

Folell’Hy is located at the Folelli solar power station, one of Corsica Sole’s flagship sites in Corsica. Commissioned in 2017, this 12 MWp power station comprises 45,000 photovoltaic panels and produces 18 GWh of renewable electricity each year.

In an island electricity system such as Corsica’s, electricity generation must be balanced against consumption at all times.

When renewable generation exceeds the grid’s capacity, part of the electricity produced cannot be fed into the grid. The plant’s output must then be restricted: this energy is referred to as ‘curtailed’.

With Folell’Hy, Corsica Sole is trialling a new way of utilising this energy. The available solar electricity powers 60 electrolysers which use water electrolysis to produce hydrogen.

Hydrogen thus enables renewable energy – which could not have been used at the time of its production – to be stored in another form. Once produced, it is compressed, stored at various pressures and then packaged in transportable tanks so that it can be transported to its points of use.

Folell’Hy in figures

• 150 kW of electrolysis power
• 60 electrolysers
• a production capacity of 30 Nm³/h;
• approximately 20 kg of hydrogen produced per day;
• up to 230 kg of hydrogen stored on site;
• storage at 300 and 500 bar.

A full-scale demonstrator at the heart of the Alchymiste project

Folell’Hy is the first tangible building block of the Alchymiste research and development project, a winner of the 11th round of the i-Nov innovation competition and supported by the Government as part of the France 2030 initiative.

The aim is to test, under the real-world conditions of an island, a complete chain ranging from the conversion of solar electricity to the production, storage, transport and use of hydrogen.

This demonstration project will enable Corsica Sole to gain practical insights into the system’s performance, its operation and its various applications. The data collected will also enable an assessment of the conditions under which this solution could, in the future, be replicated on a larger scale in Corsica or in other regions facing similar challenges.

From Folelli to the training vessel Alba

Folell’Hy is not limited to producing and storing hydrogen. The project aims to gradually develop practical applications across the region.

Corsica Sole has therefore co-developed, with the Europe Technologies group, Clément’Hyne, a mobile solution for transporting and distributing the hydrogen produced at Folelli to its users.

Among the first applications is Alba, the training vessel of the Bastia Maritime College, whose propulsion system runs on hydrogen.

This application creates a direct link between renewable energy produced in Corsica and a local maritime application. It also enables the entire chain to be tested, from the production to the use of hydrogen.

Ultimately, the lessons learnt from Folell’Hy could contribute to the development of other applications, particularly in the transport sector and in off-grid energy generation.

Introducing the younger generation to the energy sector and its careers

The afternoon of the opening ceremony was dedicated to passing on knowledge and introducing young people to careers in the energy sector.

Corsica Sole welcomed BTS students from the Bastia Maritime College, accompanied by their teachers. For them, the visit held particular significance: they were able to explore the hydrogen production site – which supplies hydrogen specifically for their training vessel, the Alba – and follow the entire energy chain, from the sunlight captured by the photovoltaic panels right through to its use on board the vessel.

Several Year 9 classes from Lucciana Secondary School also visited the solar power station and Folell’Hy.

Alongside the teams from Corsica Sole, the pupils gained a hands-on understanding of renewable electricity generation, the principle of electrolysis, energy storage, and the technologies used to monitor, analyse and control the facilities.

This interactive session helped to bring the technologies at the heart of the energy transition to life and introduced the pupils to the diverse range of careers associated with them.

A collective endeavour for the benefit of the local area

The opening of Folell’Hy marks the culmination of several years of research, development and construction work.

The project draws on a wide range of French and European expertise. Its technology partners include, in particular, Enapter, for electrolysis technology, and HENSOLDT Nexeya France, for system integration.

Corsica Sole would like to thank all the landowners, institutional and technical partners, companies, service providers and staff who have contributed to the realisation of this project, as well as the teaching staff and young people hosted at Folelli for the enriching exchanges.

With Folell’Hy, Corsica Sole is taking a new step forward in harnessing Corsica’s renewable resources: solar energy that could not previously be fed into the grid is now becoming a storable and transportable resource, capable of powering new applications across the region.