Company
Michel Jehan & Daniel Fruchart
Michel Jehan and Daniel Fruchart Emeritus Research Director at the CNRS, have developed patents on the storage of hydrogen in solid form and at ambient pressure, based on magnesium hydrides.
After having founded the McPhy company in 2008 with prestigious shareholders including Areva, Emertec/CEA, Sofinova, CDC… with the aim of developing these innovative technologies, the hydrogen storage market, at that time, had no demonstrated the profitability of these patents and the McPhy company continued its development towards the production of equipment for alkaline electrolysis for the production of green hydrogen and also the manufacture of service stations for hydrogen mobility. It was therefore an important strategic shift to put these solid hydrogen storage technologies to sleep.
The production of magnesium hydrides, a key element for the manufacture of solid hydrogen storage tanks, remains linked in particular to the availability of magnesium, a metal which is now in a critical situation in terms of supply. (huge dominance of China)
However, foreign investors have taken up the challenge with Michel Jehan and Daniel Fruchart. They quickly understood that this patented technology, through its qualities (cleanliness, low cost, safety, etc.) and its technical performance. It has now become very relevant in the context of the Energy Transition and Europe’s recent ambition with the European Hydrogen Plan.
Michel Jehan and Daniel Fruchart have once again joined forces in a new adventure through the company JOMI LEMAN SAS and at the same time have resumed their former activities by taking over the historic site of La Motte-Fanjas in the Drome. In agreement with the McPhy SA Company, JOMI LEMAN took over all the equipment and means of production resulting from the technology of solid hydrogen storage which had been set up by Michel Jehan and Daniel Fruchart.