French industrial gas exploration and production company 45-8 Energy (45-8) has announced that it will launch a mobile helium recycling unit, the first of its kind in Europe.

To be launched later this year (2023), the unit aims to enable the preservation of helium – a rare and strategic resource – by democratising its recycling in Europe.

Blighted by persistent shortages over the past several years, the global helium industry is seeing an increase in the strategic uses of helium across of range of sectors including electronics, medicine and precious metal recycling.

Despite this need for the gas, 99% of the helium used in Europe is released into the atmosphere after single use, according to 45-8.

Developed with the assistance of a regional and government grant worth nearly half a million euros, the company’s RECYCL’He solution focuses on three key points to recycle helium.

45-8’s mobile unit travels to the helium salvage site and the used helium is stored in the mobile unit for transport. The helium is then transported to a dedicated site where it is purified, and the re-purified helium is returned to the market to be sold.

“The current geopolitical, economic and ecological context allows 45-8 Energy to propose an innovative solution that responds to many issues,” said the company in a statement.

“The solution strengthens the competitiveness of helium consumers by reducing their operating costs or enabling them to generate additional income from the sale of the used resource.”

By reusing helium, the environmental impact of the helium sector could also be ‘drastically reduced’, says the company.

The project is supported by a scheme contained with the France 2030 Plan which was launched by the French government and the Grand Est region, coordinated by Bpifrance.