At the inauguration of the gigawatt electrolyzer factory, a joint venture created by Air Liquide and Siemens Energy, in Berlin, in the presence of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French Industry Minister Roland Lescure.
Industry’s decarbonization is at the heart of our strategy. I am particularly proud of the Group’s role as a driving force and the progress we have made toward a low-carbon industry.
Innovation is at the heart of the ADVANCE program. What progress has been made in this field?
Innovation has always been part of our DNA, from technology to the way we act and serve our customers. In practice, this has led to significant progress in growth markets this year, including semiconductors, with investments in new manufacturing centers for advanced materials in Taiwan and South Korea. These new production capacities will support the acceleration in the manufacture of high-tech chips. These chips are vital for next-generation electronics applications in artificial intelligence, the automotive industry and cloud computing(5).
2023 also saw many innovations in terms of mobility. For instance, we launched new joint ventures with Groupe ADP and with TotalEnergies that will help accelerate the development of hydrogen, from airport infrastructure to heavy vehicles. But I am also thinking of our industrial customers, be they traditional or positioned in new markets, such as the food, glass and metal industries. We supply them with innovative solutions with a reduced carbon footprint that enable them to reduce their CO2 emissions.
Lastly, I would like to mention the healthcare sector, in which we continue to develop our solutions to improve the day-to-day lives of healthcare professionals. We have launched a new service so that hospitals no longer need to manage their supply of medical gases. The aim is to enable staff to focus more on patient care. This approach was inspired by the personalized care pathways for patients treated at home that was launched in 2021 and that we are continuing to develop.
What all these developments have in common is their impact and their contribution to society. That is what our innovative approach, which we are constantly developing, is all about.
In a few months, France will welcome the world for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024. Air Liquide is an Official Supporter of this event for hydrogen. What is the reasoning behind this partnership?
In addition to the similarities between our values and those of Paris 2024, this is a particularly significant partnership because we can draw on our expertise to provide the event with decarbonized mobility solutions. We are going to provide hydrogen of renewable origin to power several hundred Toyota Mirai cars that will make up part of the Games’ official fleet. This is a real source of pride for me and our teams because these cars will contribute to a reduction in carbon emissions during this major sporting event. I firmly believe that this real world use of hydrogen for mobility at an event of this magnitude will be a powerful force for accelerating the sustainable decarbonization of transport, creating long -term infrastructure and uses beyond Paris 2024. Acting as a champion of climate solutions means providing support for the ambitious environmental objectives of major events like the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024. I would like to commend the work of our teams, who are committed to ensuring that this partnership is a collective victory!
Lastly, this partnership is about more than just climate it is also about embodying the values of diversity and inclusion that are so important to us. As such, the Group is supporting at least 6 athletes and para-athletes in their bid to qualify for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024. We are very proud to support them and their endeavors and we wish them every success!
What is your outlook for 2024?
The world faces many challenges. From sovereignty to security, from climate change to energy independence and demographic shifts, we must contend with this new, uncertain world, just as our customers are doing. As is the case with any challenge, there are opportunities. Indeed, there have never been so many opportunities and we must seize them. We must work together to perform better and ensure we have the means to respond effectively to the major challenges of the energy transition, changing healthcare systems and global competition in high-tech development. As the Group’s expertise has never been more pertinent to address global challenges, this is also a unique opportunity to improve existing services and offerings and develop new ones, as we always have, so we can provide the world with tangible and practical solutions. Although the short-term future will undoubtedly have its share of surprises, I feel confident and energized because I know that I can count on truly extraordinary teams. They and I are more committed than ever to serve our customers and patients and, in so doing, provide useful and tangible solutions to create a more sustainable world.
(5) Cloud computing involves transferring computer data to remote servers.