Poland – Orlen hydrogen ambitions soar with €400M EU funding
Orlen wins major EU backing to scale clean hydrogen and lead regional fuel network with 111 refuelling stations by 2030.
Polish energy titan Orlen has secured over 1.7 billion zloty (€400 million) from EU pandemic recovery funds to advance its hydrogen energy projects.
The funds were initially blocked due to concerns over judicial independence under the previous PiS government but were released last year after Donald Tusk’s pro-EU coalition came to power.
Orlen’s grants will support clean hydrogen production and infrastructure development, aligning with Poland’s decarbonisation goals and the EU’s push for sustainable energy.
Orlen CEO Ireneusz Fąfara said the funding will help the company expand hydrogen production infrastructure while strengthening domestic and European supply networks.
The money will drive two major initiatives – Green H2 and Hydrogen Eagle – focused on producing clean hydrogen from renewable sources and municipal waste, targeting sectors such as transport and energy.
Green H2 includes a Gdańsk plant with a 100-megawatt electrolyser powered by renewables for refining operations.
Launched in 2022, Hydrogen Eagle aims to establish nine hydrogen hubs across Poland, Czechia, and Slovakia, powered by solar, wind, and waste-to-hydrogen technology. Orlen’s goal is to operate 111 refuelling stations by 2030 – 57 in Poland, 28 in Czechia, and 26 in Slovakia – positioning itself as a regional leader.
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Poland – Orlen hydrogen ambitions soar with €400M EU funding, source
