ORLEN Group secures over PLN 1.7 billion in National Recovery Plan funding for its hydrogen projects
Green H2 and Hydrogen Eagle – two strategic programmes of the ORLEN Group – have received a total of PLN 1.7 billion in non-repayable funding under the National Recovery Plan. The grant support will be used to produce renewable hydrogen via electrolysis powered by renewable energy sources, as well as low-emission hydrogen derived from municipal waste.
– The Energy of Tomorrow Starts Today – that is the title of our strategy through 2035. For us, it is more than a slogan – it is a firm commitment and a belief we uphold. That is why we are already investing in the development of our hydrogen capabilities. The nearly PLN 2 billion secured for the Hydrogen Eagle and Green H2 projects will accelerate progress in the hydrogen segment. Funding from the National Recovery Plan will enable us to expand and scale up hydrogen production infrastructure more efficiently, reinforcing both the domestic and European hydrogen supply networks. It also supports the advancement of this future-oriented technology, which represents one of the key pathways to decarbonisation – said Ireneusz Fąfara, President of the Management Board and CEO of ORLEN S.A.
Advancing hydrogen technology – one of the cornerstones of the energy transition – is a central pillar of ORLEN’s strategic agenda. By 2035, the Group aims to expand its electrolysis-based hydrogen production portfolio to a total capacity of approximately 0.9 GW, with around 0.7 GW to be developed in Poland. The remaining demand is expected to be met through imports of hydrogen or its derivatives via maritime routes, contingent on the availability of import infrastructure.
Hydrogen Eagle is a capital investment programme of the ORLEN Group aimed at developing diversified sources of renewable and low-emission hydrogen. Production will rely on both renewable energy sources and municipal waste, utilising waste-to-hydrogen technology. In addition to reinforcing European hydrogen infrastructure, Hydrogen Eagle will contribute to reducing carbon dioxide emissions and advancing the development of renewable energy sources.
Green H2 is a project led by LOTOS Green H2, a special-purpose vehicle within the ORLEN Group, focused on producing renewable hydrogen for use in refinery operations at the Gdańsk fuel production site. The project involves the installation of a 100 MW electrolyser integrated with an energy storage system. Recently, the corporate venture capital fund ORLEN VC invested in Hystar, a manufacturer of high-efficiency PEM electrolysers for large-scale zero-emission hydrogen production. The investment will provide technological support for the Group’s hydrogen initiatives.
The grants awarded to ORLEN Group’s projects were allocated under the third round of funding within measure B2.1.1 "Investments in hydrogen technologies, production, storage and transport of hydrogen". The programme is administered by Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, with funding provided through the National Recovery Plan, which aims to restore the economy’s growth potential and strengthen its competitiveness.
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