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Energy

Discover a region of excellence combining innovation, expertise and opportunities

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Deux personnes qui marchent dans un champ de panneaux solaires avec des éoliennes en fond

The energy sector.

From Ampère’s pioneering discoveries to today’s major innovation projects, Lyon and its extended region, from Saint-Étienne to Bourg-en-Bresse, have become a benchmark European hub for the energy transition. This region combines industrial power, scientific excellence and collective commitment to a low-carbon economy.

No. 1

French region for electricity generation

No. 1

French region for renewable energy generation

No. 1

European region for nuclear power generation

Specialized sectors.

A complete ecosystem driving development and innovation.

Ingénieur en train de vérifier un panneau solaire

Solar PV

A dynamic sector, covering design, manufacturing, installation and intelligent integration, with strong support for innovation and energy management solutions.

Fumée blanche qui sort de la tour d'une centrale nucléaire

Nuclear

A hub of excellence, covering research, production, maintenance and SMR technologies, supported by a cutting-edge industrial and scientific ecosystem.

Une personne en train de brancher les câbles d'une climatisation

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning

An innovative sector, incorporating design, manufacturing and energy management, supported by a network of specialist players and strong local skills.

Pompe manuelle à essence verte

Biofuels

A complete sector, combining research, sustainable production and waste recovery, to meet the local challenges of decarbonisation in mobility and industry.

Deux silos verts dans un champ

Biogas

A sector incorporating production, treatment, energy recovery and district heating, supported by an innovative ecosystem committed to the environmental transition.

Champs de panneaux solaires avec des éoliennes en fond

Renewable energy

A global value chain incorporating solar, wind, biomass, hydropower and geothermal energy, with strong expertise in innovation, production and regional deployment.

Leading companies in the area

Designs and produces hydrogen solutions for light and industrial vehicles, combining fuel cells and storage systems for sustainable mobility.

Hydrogen mobility Capital origin: France

Design and manufacture of innovative, rechargeable, safe and durable lithium ceramic micro-batteries for connected objects, sensors, and industrial applications.

Micro-batteries Capital origin: France

Design of innovative ventilation, air purification and thermal comfort solutions for residential, tertiary and industrial buildings in France and abroad.

HVAC Capital origin: France

A key player in the civil nuclear industry, designing, manufacturing and maintaining components, fuels and control systems for nuclear power plants worldwide.

Nuclear technologies Capital origin: France

Development of an innovative, safe, decarbonized molten-salt modular reactor (SMR).

Nuclear technologies Capital origin: Netherlands

Specialist in energy management, the world leader in technologies and solutions for electrical systems.

Energy management Capital origin: United States

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Reasons to invest in Lyon and its region.

Choose the Lyon region for its unique ecosystem, high-quality infrastructure and internationally recognized talent pool.
01

Join a global ecosystem

As France’s leading industrial region, we are known for our ecosystem of innovative, diversified companies. A pioneer in renewable energy (hydroelectricity, photovoltaics, etc.), the region incorporates AI and digital to optimize energy production. With Chemical Valley and competitive clusters such as Tenerrdis, Lyon and its region constitute a hub of excellence in mobility, nuclear power and the energy transition.

02

Innovate and develop your solutions

Lyon is a hub of excellence for energy innovation with 13,300 researchers and major institutions such as IFPEN and CNRS. Its high-level academic ecosystem, collaborative platforms and strong record of filing patents make it a special place for R&D, public–private synergies and technological development.

Empilement de piles combustibles d'hydrogène
03

Take advantage of economic opportunities

A major French economic center with a dense industrial fabric, Lyon and its region stand out amongst growth sectors such as solar photovoltaics, battery chemistry, hydrogen and anaerobic digestion. Thanks to initiatives such as ImagHYne, the region stimulates innovation and sustainable development within a diversified, dynamic energy ecosystem, offering privileged access to French and European markets.

Iconic places.

Axel’One

9,000 m² of space dedicated to collaborative innovation in advanced materials and innovative processes in the chemical, environmental and energy sectors. Located on three interconnected sites at the heart of the Lyon urban area, the platform offers turnkey laboratories, hundreds of shared tools and an on-site R&D team to support your projects.

Chemical Valley

A historic center for the chemicals industry since the 1850s, Chemical Valley (Vallée de la Chimie) is now among France’s largest industrial platforms. Located to the south of Lyon, it stretches over approximately 2,000 hectares, covering three municipalities in the Lyon urban area. This strategic area is the focus of a leading R&D, innovation, and industrial production ecosystem based around the chemical, energy, environment and so-called “greentech” sectors, i.e. technologies involving innovations and processes that use natural and bio-based resources.

Vue aérienne de la zone industrielle de la Plaine de l'Ain

Parc Industriel de la Plaine de l’Ain

Turnkey land from 2,000 m² to 15 hectares available for sale in an industrial area: no zoning problems, immediate availability and a single price of €70/m². The Plaine de l’Ain industrial park (PIPA) is an easily accessible and well-connected area, with highway links (A6-A7, A39, A40, A42, A43) giving access to Lyon in 35 minutes and Geneva in an hour.

Circulyz

About 10 hectares of land under development by the Lyon metropolitan authority in Feyzin, in the heart of Chemical Valley, dedicated to industrial companies in the chemicals, energy and environment sectors promoting the environmental transition and the regeneration of existing productive activities.

Companies that have chosen the Lyon region.

Selected to receive France 2030 support for innovative nuclear power, we chose Lyon as the base for our French subsidiary. Gateway to Nuclear Valley, the city offers access to engineering skills and the network of subcontractors necessary for our project.
A Dutch designer of small molten-salt nuclear reactors, Thorizon chose to establish a base in Lyon in 2024 as part of the France 2030 program and now has half of its engineering and research staff near Part-Dieu.
Axens chose the Lyon region, the heart of French chemistry and the driving force behind the energy transition. Strongly involved in this ecosystem alongside the Axelera competitive cluster, we collaborate with major players and start-ups to develop innovative industrial projects.
A French company specializing in technological solutions for refining, petrochemicals, gas and the energy transition. In 2024, Axens opened its first offices relocated to Lyon, a decision that illustrates the group’s desire for decentralization.
The industrial density and scientific excellence of the Lyon region enable us to accelerate our ambition: to produce sustainable synthetic fuels and chemicals at costs comparable to those of the petrochemical industry.
Based in Lyon, MCatalysis is a U.S. deeptech company leveraging French microwave technology and catalysts licensed from Oxford to convert waste-derived carbon into sustainable fuels and chemicals—high-yield and low-cost—through a fully electrified industrial solution.

The eight sectors of excellence.

Discover the strategic sectors that make the Lyon region a leader in responsible European industry and a driver of innovation and sustainable development.