45-8 Energy, a Metz-based company specialising in short-loop valorisation of strategic industrial gases, including helium and natural hydrogen, has announced that Geneva-based Ad Terra Group has become its majority shareholder.
Ad Terra designs, invests in and operates energy solutions that provide environmental benefits and attractive financial returns. As an energy group, Ad Terra is divided into three entities: the first (Ad Terra Energy) regroups operating companies, the second (Ad Terra Synergy) is an investment and R&D platform, and the third is Ad Terra Consultancy.
This strategic alliance is designed to strengthen regional sovereignty and secure access to critical subsurface resources, including helium, natural hydrogen, lithium and geothermal energy.
Nicolas PELISSIER, Chairman, 45-8 ENERGY, said, “We welcome Ad Terra’s majority entry into our capital. The synergies between our expertise and strategies are already delivering concrete results in support of our shared ambition: to highlight the strategic role of subsurface resources in energy transition.
“Still too often overlooked, this lever is nevertheless a major asset in strengthening our resilience, in the face of successive geopolitical crises and in gaining greater independence while respecting today’s environmental and climate challenges. In this context, we are particularly enthusiastic about taking this new step with Ad Terra to address this decisive challenge together.”
Founded in 2017 by Benoit Hauville and Nicolas Pelissier, 45-8 Energy is a company dedicated to the exploration, production and distribution of eco-responsible industrial gases, natural hydrogen and helium. It aims to produce these rare and critical resources as close as possible to consumption areas, to reduce long-distance imports and minimise the carbon footprint of the supply chain.
Active in the helium sector, 45-8 ENERGY covers the entire value chain, including exploration, production, distribution, and recycling. With RECYCL’He, the first helium recovery and recycling service in Western Europe, the company secures an additional supply source, supporting a sustainable and circular helium industry.
When it comes to natural hydrogen, 45-8 ENERGY holds a central position in the understanding and future valorisation of this low-carbon resource by combining geoscience expertise with operational innovation.
“By combining their geoscience, human, operational, and technological expertise, the two companies are strengthening a diversified portfolio of global scale, paving the way for an integrated platform for the energy transition through subsurface resources,” says the press release.
Both these companies are strengthening their assets, capabilities, and resources around three key pillars: geosciences, human resources, and operational and technological capabilities.
In geosciences, companies are combining their expertise and data to create significant added value. Ad Terra and 45-8 ENERGY are collaboratively developing a diversified portfolio that includes helium, natural hydrogen, lithium, geothermal energy, CO2, and other key subsurface resources.
This portfolio will be developed collectively, optimising the value of all resources within each project, and will have a global reach across four continents: Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia. The initiative will be further strengthened by sharing geoscience databases fully, which will speed up development and help secure new projects.
With nearly 100 employees across France, Switzerland, the US, Canada, and Malaysia, the two companies now pool a wide range of skills covering the full value chain, from exploration to production. Their expertise includes surface engineering, environmental management, and business development, along with extensive experience in geoscience, engineering, project management, execution, and R&D. They represent a diverse mix of profiles, cultures, and expertise, united by a shared culture of eco‑commitment, technical excellence, and responsibility.
Ad Terra and 45-8 ENERGY have strengthened their operational capabilities by combining their technical resources, infrastructure, and financial assets. This partnership enables faster exploration and facilitates the transition of projects into production. It also expands investment capacity, ensuring the growth of ongoing projects and the initiation of new ones within an accelerated development cycle.
Additionally, the collaboration encourages technology sharing, especially in areas like sustainable resource management, reducing carbon footprints, and advanced subsurface modelling and monitoring. Furthermore, the use of artificial intelligence enhances geoscience, data analysis, and operational efficiency.
With the strengthened financial and operational capacities, 45-8 ENERGY is now accelerating the deployment of its first industrial helium production and recycling projects, its natural hydrogen exploration activities, and the development of new pathways adapted to diverse geological contexts.
45-8 ENERGY, active in France, Germany, the Balkans, and the US, holds various exploration licenses. Since 2024, it has initiated France’s and Western Europe’s first helium production in Nièvre. Additional projects, especially in Germany, are in progress to enhance local control over strategic resources.
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2026/04/ad-terra-takes-majority-stake-in-45-8-energy-to-support-regional-sovereignty-and-secure-access-to-subsurface-resources/
