EU backs Orlen project to set up hydrogen refueling stations in Poland

Polish energy company Orlen has won EU backing and €62 million in support for its Clean Cities – Hydrogen mobility project in Poland, which comprises a green hydrogen plant and multiple hydrogen refuelling stations. The support is part of €424 million disbursed across 42 projects by the EU under the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF) mechanism.

The EU's funding will enable Orlen to implement the third phase of Clean Cities – Hydrogen mobility by setting up 16 publicly-available hydrogen refueling stations in Poland along the Trans-European Transport Network.

In the first two phases, the company will develop eight hydrogen refueling stations around the country, as well as an automotive-grade green hydrogen production plant in Wloclawek that will produce hydrogen through water electrolysis. 

Orlen will also establish a second automotive-grade green hydrogen production plant in Szczecin, using the same technology. 

The company plans to build over 100 hydrogen refueling stations across Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia by 2030, to serve private as well as public road and rail transport. It is eyeing about 1 GW of electrolyzer capacity 2030.

Grzegorz Jozwiak, Head of the Hydrogen Technology and Synthetic Fuels Office at Orlen, said in a statement: "Zero-emission public mobility will be especially crucial in large municipalities, which are becoming ever more eager to embrace hydrogen-powered vehicles… This is why we're resolute in our mission to spearhead this form of mobility in partnership with local governments across Poland."

Last week, the European Commission announced the names of 42 new projects deploying alternative fuels infrastructure selected to receive over €424 million in EU support. The projects span the installation of electric recharging points, development of hydrogen refueling stations and electrification of airports.

Adina Vălean, European Commissioner for Transport, said in the release: "Since 2021, the EU has granted over €1.3 billion through AFIF to several projects, deploying 26,396 electric recharging points, 202 hydrogen refuelling stations, and electrifying ground operations in 63 airports. This last call was the most successful regarding the projects' number and quality so far, showing the growing interest in hydrogen and electric charging infrastructure."