The Nantes Saint-Nazaire area is taking a new step forward in its energy transition strategy with the arrival of Elyse Energy in Saint-Nazaire. A specialist in sustainable fuels, the company strengthens the region’s momentum toward decarbonizing the maritime sector.

Already present in France, Spain, and Portugal, Elyse Energy develops e-methanol and e-kerosene projects using green hydrogen and recycled CO₂. In Saint-Nazaire, the company plans to produce up to 150,000 tonnes of e-methanol per year by 2030, primarily for maritime propulsion. This initiative is part of the Green Coast project, in partnership with renewable hydrogen producer Lhyfe, located in Montoir-de-Bretagne within the industrial-port zone of Nantes Saint-Nazaire. The aim is to produce a low-carbon synthetic fuel—e-methanol—tailored to the needs of maritime transport.

Recognized as one of the most promising alternatives to fossil fuels, e-methanol significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions from ships, while remaining compatible with existing logistics and storage infrastructures. Its local production represents a strategic advantage in supporting the maritime sector’s energy transition.

Elyse Energy’s arrival in Saint-Nazaire showcases the territory’s ability to attract industrial projects with strong technological and environmental value. It builds on the collective engagement of public and private stakeholders, including the Grand Port Maritime of Nantes Saint-Nazaire, local authorities, the Pays de la Loire Region, and industrial players within the Loire Estuary Industry Association (AILE). This coordination takes place under the Loire Estuaire Décarbonation initiative, a winner of the France 2030 ZIBaC (Low Carbon Industrial Zones) call for projects.

The project also highlights the effectiveness of the support provided by Nantes Saint-Nazaire Développement, the local economic development agency, which facilitated connections with local partners and helped Elyse Energy’s representative, Olivier Cuny, secure suitable office space. As a result, he settled last summer at the Maison de l’Entreprise in Saint-Nazaire—an ideal base to contribute to an “ambitious project to decarbonize maritime transport, anchored in a region that includes one of the first European ports to commit to an alternative fuel offering.”

The chosen site in Montoir-de-Bretagne enjoys a strategic location in the heart of the industrial, port, and logistics hub, close to key sectors such as shipbuilding, renewable marine energy, logistics, and petrochemicals. Its direct connection to Saint-Nazaire’s port infrastructure is a major asset for future alternative fuel supply chains.

This project will further structure the local value chain and generate positive local impacts, including job creation in green chemistry, hydrogen, and industrial services.

For maritime professionals, the development of a local e-fuel supply opens up new perspectives and helps anticipate future EU and international regulatory requirements—such as the gradual rollout of the FuelEU Maritime Regulation—while aligning with the increasing ESG commitments of shipping operators. It strengthens the region’s ambition to become a leading industrial hub for the energy transition in maritime transport.