In a European first, four companies have joined forces to build the world’s pioneering solar hydrogen park in Wallonia, Belgium, marking a significant milestone in the commercial application of green hydrogen technology.

The groundbreaking project, set to break ground in 2026, will utilize revolutionary solar hydrogen technology developed over more than a decade at KU Leuven University, representing a new approach to hydrogen production that could reshape Europe’s renewable energy landscape .

A Consortium of Complementary Expertise

Under a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding, the collaboration brings together specialized companies across the energy value chain. Ether Energy will own and operate the project, while SunBuild will design and construct the solar installation complete with integrated battery storage .

The hydrogen production will be handled by Solhyd, which will supply and maintain its specialized hydrogen modules, and Nippon Gases—a longstanding industrial gas supplier—will manage hydrogen post-processing, storage, and distribution to end users .

This partnership represents a complete value chain integration, from sunlight capture to industrial hydrogen application, highlighting the project’s potential for real-world scalability.

Revolutionary Technology

What sets this project apart is Solhyd’s award-winning technology, which produces hydrogen directly from sunlight and air without requiring liquid water, heavy grid connections, or rare metals . This innovative approach dramatically simplifies the hydrogen production process compared to conventional electrolysis methods.

“The project is the first demonstration at commercially relevant scale and serves as a reference for further rollout,” said Jan Rongé of Solhyd. “We are proving that green hydrogen can be approached in a pragmatic and scalable way. By harnessing the sun directly, we lower costs and drastically simplify the system.”

The demonstration park will integrate 50 kilowatts of Solhyd’s solar-powered hydrogen modules into a conventional 2-megawatt-peak solar array equipped with batteries, enabling simultaneous production of electricity and green hydrogen from the same installation . This co-location strategy represents a significant advancement in renewable energy integration.

Industrial Applications and Market Significance

The project addresses a critical challenge facing Europe’s solar sector: negative electricity prices and grid congestion during periods of high production . By creating an alternative pathway to monetize sunlight through hydrogen production, the model offers solar park operators new revenue streams while alleviating grid pressure.

For Nippon Gases, who already provides hydrogen into certain sectors such as food, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, the project is an important step in the move towards decarbonising industrial supply chains.

“Hydrogen has always been a key part of our product range,” said Johan Desmet of Nippon Gases. “This project is the demonstration that we can also supply green hydrogen – exactly what we need for our industrial customers.”

The announcement comes at a critical time for hydrogen infrastructure in Belgium. There has been some progress and yet delay in the sector in recent months, such as the 25MW Hyoffwind project being developed by Virya Energy in Zeebrugge , which will use alkaline electrolyzers and commence operation in 2026 , or Bekaert which has temporarily halted production of hydrogen components at its facility in Belgium with slower-than-expected market development .

A Scalable Model for Europe’s Energy Future

The Wallonia project is designed with scalability in mind. Over time, the proportion of Solhyd modules in similar installations is expected to increase, creating a replicable model that could allow solar parks across Europe to diversify production and generate both power and renewable hydrogen .

Pierre de Liedekerke of Ether Energy emphasized the transformative potential of this approach: “This project demonstrates that sunlight can be valorized differently, through green hydrogen. It opens new perspectives for investors and is crucial for the energy transition.”

The technical challenges of combining solar power and hydrogen production at a single site have previously limited such integrated approaches. Gilles Charlier of SunBuild noted the breakthrough: “By linking innovation with industrial know-how, we demonstrate that it is now possible. We are building a new generation of hybrid energy parks that produce both renewable electricity and green hydrogen.”

Strategic Importance for European Energy Independence

This pioneering project represents more than just technological innovation—it’s a strategic step toward sustainable energy autonomy for Europe . By demonstrating a viable path for producing green hydrogen alongside solar power, the model reduces dependence on imported energy while supporting industrial decarbonization.

The site for demonstration is expected to remain operational for a minimum of five years following its launch in 2026, and the partners are already discussing a 2-megawatt project on a larger scale for additional site by 2028. Follow-up deployments are expected across all of Europe and in sunny regions of the world and may provide an economic base for solar generation of energy.

While Europe is working toward an unprecedented energy transition, projects like the Wallonia solar hydrogen park provide a tangible preview of how integrated renewable systems can address limitations of single-technology diversification and contribute to energy provision in electricity and green fuel while providing grid resiliency and fostering industrial economic new opportunities in renewables.

This project positions Belgium at the forefront of innovation in green hydrogen, and provides a possible model that could be used for a Europe-wide replication in its continuing efforts to achieve decarbonization of the economy and maintain competitive industrial production capacity.