Poland's National Recovery Plan granted the funding to significantly advance its hydrogen production capabilities.
In a significant boost to its ambitious energy transition strategy, the ORLEN Group has announced the successful securing of over PLN 1.7 billion in non-repayable funding under Poland's National Recovery Plan. This landmark financial injection will propel the company's "Green H2" and "Hydrogen Eagle" programs, both central to its vision of becoming a leading player in the burgeoning hydrogen economy. The funding, allocated under measure B2.1.1 "Investments in hydrogen technologies, production, storage and transport of hydrogen," underscores Poland's commitment to fostering a sustainable and competitive economy.
Advancing hydrogen technology is a cornerstone of ORLEN's strategic agenda, with the Group aiming to achieve an electrolysis-based hydrogen production capacity of approximately 0.9 GW by 2035. A substantial 0.7 GW of this capacity is slated for development within Poland, with the remaining demand potentially met through imports of hydrogen or its derivatives via maritime routes, contingent on the necessary import infrastructure being in place.
The "Hydrogen Eagle" program stands out as a comprehensive capital investment initiative designed to diversify ORLEN Group's sources of renewable and low-emission hydrogen. This program will leverage both renewable energy sources and innovative waste-to-hydrogen technology, utilizing municipal waste as a feedstock. Beyond bolstering European hydrogen infrastructure, Hydrogen Eagle is set to make a significant contribution to reducing carbon dioxide emissions and accelerating the development of renewable energy sources across the region.
Complementing this, the "Green H2" project, spearheaded by LOTOS Green H2, a special-purpose vehicle within the ORLEN Group, focuses specifically on producing renewable hydrogen for use in refinery operations at the Gdansk fuel production site. This project is ambitious, involving the installation of a 100 MW electrolyser seamlessly integrated with an energy storage system. In a move to further strengthen its technological capabilities, the corporate venture capital fund ORLEN VC recently invested in Hystar, a renowned manufacturer of high-efficiency PEM electrolysers, crucial for large-scale zero-emission hydrogen production. This investment is expected to provide significant technological support for the Group's overarching hydrogen initiatives.
The grants were administered by Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, a key institution in Poland's financial landscape, underscoring the collaborative effort between state-backed entities and leading energy companies to achieve national economic and environmental objectives. This substantial funding package is poised to solidify ORLEN Group's position at the forefront of the hydrogen revolution in Central Europe, contributing significantly to Poland's energy security and its transition towards a greener, more sustainable future.
