ORLEN is starting construction of a hydrogen hub in Szczecin. The new facility will be capable of producing up to 90 kg of automotive-grade hydrogen per hour. The PLN 75 million investment is set to become one of the key elements of the group’s expanding infrastructure for zero-emission transport and the hydrogen economy in Poland.
The general contractor for the project is the Polish company Torpol Oil & Gas. This means that a domestic entity will play an important role in the implementation of this strategic energy investment. The project forms part of ORLEN’s broader strategy to build a full hydrogen value chain — from production, storage and distribution to its use in transport and industry.
“We are developing infrastructure that will form the foundation of the hydrogen economy in Poland and across the region. Thanks to its connection with the European TEN-T transport corridors and its logistics base, Szczecin is of key importance for building a zero-emission transport market. This project supports our efforts to achieve emissions neutrality and strengthen energy security. With the growing participation of Polish companies, we are consistently building a full hydrogen value chain — from production and storage to distribution and use in transport and industry,” said Grzegorz Jóźwiak, Executive Director for Biofuels and Hydrogen at ORLEN.
The hub in Szczecin will produce hydrogen using energy from renewable sources. The scope of the investment includes the construction of an electrolyser with a capacity of around 5 MW, hydrogen storage facilities, and infrastructure for loading and distributing the fuel. The facility is expected to reach an output of around 90 kg of hydrogen per hour.
Assuming continuous operation at full capacity, the hub will be able to produce approximately 2,160 kg of hydrogen per day. The hydrogen produced in Szczecin will primarily be supplied to hydrogen refuelling stations. The fuel is intended for use in public transport, as well as in passenger cars and heavy-duty vehicles.
The location of the investment is strategically important. Szczecin is one of the key points on the map of hydrogen infrastructure being developed by ORLEN in north-western Poland. The city is connected to the European TEN-T transport corridors and important logistics hubs in the region, which may support the development of zero-emission transport and hydrogen distribution.
The new hub will be built as part of the third phase of the “Clean Cities – Hydrogen Mobility in Poland” programme. The programme supports the development of low- and zero-emission transport in Poland and the construction of infrastructure for alternative fuels. For this phase, ORLEN has received EUR 62 million in non-refundable EU funding.
The investment in Szczecin is another stage in the development of ORLEN’s national network of hydrogen hubs. The first hub was launched in Trzebinia in November 2021. The group is also working on further projects related to the production of low- and zero-emission hydrogen.
In Płock, a municipal waste gasification plant using Waste-to-Hydrogen technology is planned. Further investments are also being prepared in Włocławek and Gdańsk. In these locations, hydrogen hubs are to be based on water electrolysis powered by renewable energy sources.
The infrastructure being developed by ORLEN is ultimately intended to create an integrated system for the production, storage and distribution of hydrogen for transport and industry across Poland. The construction of such facilities is important not only from the perspective of transport decarbonisation, but also for energy security and the development of new industrial technologies.
According to the schedule, the hydrogen hub in Szczecin is expected to begin operational activity at the turn of 2027 and 2028. In practice, this means that in the coming years Szczecin may become one of the most important centres for the production and distribution of hydrogen for zero-emission transport in Poland.
Source: Managerplus.pl
