Supported by EUR 62 million in non-repayable EU funds, the project includes building a facility powered by renewable energy, complete with an electrolyser and storage capabilities.
Orlen SA, a leading Polish energy company, has launched a tender to find a builder for its latest hydrogen production facility, set to be located in the Baltic city of Szczecin. This move is a key part of Orlen's ambitious "Clean Cities – hydrogen mobility in Poland (Phase III)" initiative, which is supported by the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF) under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
The proposed Szczecin hub will include essential infrastructure for producing hydrogen using green energy sources, featuring an electrolyser and storage facilities. This project was bolstered by a substantial EUR 62 million (approximately USD 64 million) in EU funding, announced in April 2024, which is allocated for developing a comprehensive green hydrogen production and refueling infrastructure across Poland.
Previously, Orlen disclosed plans under the first two phases of the project, which involved setting up a network of eight hydrogen refueling stations supported by a production plant in W?oc?awek. The new facility in Szczecin is expected to enhance the existing infrastructure and support the wider deployment of hydrogen-fueled transport options throughout Poland.
Looking forward, Orlen's vision extends beyond national borders, aiming to establish an international network of over 100 hydrogen refueling stations across Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. This network is intended to cater to a variety of transport modes including private, public, cargo, road, and rail by 2030, with the group's total electrolyser capacity projected to reach about 1 GW by then.
