Polish energy giant ORLEN, through its venture capital arm ORLEN Venture Capital, has made a significant investment in Hystar AS, a cutting-edge Norwegian manufacturer specializing in high-efficiency Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolysers.

Hystar has developed a patented electrolyser design that utilizes membranes up to ten times thinner than those found in conventional PEM units. This innovative approach dramatically improves the energy efficiency of the electrolysis process, leading to a substantial reduction in the cost of producing green hydrogen. The technology is poised to play a crucial role in making large-scale, zero-emission hydrogen production economically viable.

Hystar currently produces 0.65 MW membrane stacks and turnkey 5 MW electrolyser systems that are certified to ISO 17268 standards. The company’s electrolysers boast membranes that are 90% thinner than standard equipment, enabling scalable and cost-effective hydrogen production. Since commencing commercial deliveries in 2022, Hystar’s modular architecture has allowed for rapid customization to meet diverse customer requirements.

Grzegorz Józwiak, Director of Hydrogen Technologies and Synthetic Fuels at ORLEN, emphasized the importance of this investment, stating, "ORLEN VC’s investment in Hystar delivers critical technological support for our hydrogen portfolio. Hystar’s innovative platform is expected to enable annual production of 1.5 GW of high-efficiency membrane electrolysers as early as 2027. Thanks to the capital commitment, ORLEN Group gains access not only to the equipment but also the know-how and the opportunity to cooperate, among other things, in the development of the technology and its implementation. This solution can also be an important support in the attainment of ORLEN's strategic goals for the next decade, especially since by 2035 we want to use 350,000 tons of renewable and low-emission hydrogen annually."

Looking ahead, Hystar is on track to launch a fully automated production line in 2027 with an initial annual capacity of 1.5 GW. This will enable the company to fulfill large industrial orders, with plans to further ramp up production to an impressive 4.5 GW per year by 2031.

This ambitious scale-up is supported by a EUR 26 million grant awarded to Hystar by the European Innovation Fund in 2024. The grant is specifically earmarked for the automation of its production line, and the investment from ORLEN VC, along with other venture capital backing, provides the crucial matching funds. The current funding round has successfully raised over EUR 32 million, which will cover Hystar’s equity contribution for the EU grant and its operational needs through 2027.