MOL Group has started green hydrogen production at its Hungarian refinery to replace a portion of grey hydrogen use, five months after the 10MW plant was inaugurated.
In the months after launch, the Central Eastern European oil and gas firm undertook pressure tests, control system inspection, electrolyser cell connections and put the water treatment system into operation.
The Plug Power electrolyser system, powered by renewable energy, will produce around 1,600 tonnes of green hydrogen per year.
Read more: MOL’s 10MW green hydrogen plant inaugurated utilising Plug Power tech
MOL says it will cut more than 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions annually from its Százhalombatta refinery, by replacing grey hydrogen, which accounts for a sixth of the group’s CO2 emissions.
H2 View was told by MOL’s Group DS New and Sustainable Businesses Vice-President, Adam Horvarth, that the €22m ($24.4m) came as the “first” new greenfield production unit at the refinery in the last 20 years.
Entirely financed by the company’s balance sheet, Horvarth said the 10MW plant was just the start of MOL’s green hydrogen plans.
Following the start of hydrogen production, he said, “After Százhalombatta, we are planning similar plants in Bratislava and Rijeka of which the latter can commence operations in 2026.”
The plant in Rijeka, Croatia, is being carried out by MOL’s subsidiary with the Croatian state, INA, and plans to use a 10MW PEM electrolyser system from Californian-based Ohmium.
Read more: Croatian refinery to adopt green hydrogen with 10MW electrolyser installation
Grey hydrogen users will be first major green hydrogen producers, says MOL Group executive
Current grey hydrogen consumers will be the first major green hydrogen producers, a MOL Group executive has told H2 View.
Boasting three oil refineries across Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia, the oil and gas firm in April inaugurated a 10MW electrolyser plant at its Százhalombatta refinery near Budapest to partially replace existing grey hydrogen consumption.
Requiring a €22m ($23.9m) investment, Adam Horvath, Group DS New and Sustainable Businesses Vice-President at MOL Group, told H2 View that the plant came as the “first” new greenfield production unit for the Százhalombatta refinery in the last 20 years.
“Even if it is a pilot plant, it is still the largest operating electrolyser in Central Eastern Europe, and the overall investment cost of over €20m was 100% financed from company resources – without any kind of EU or state subsidies,” Horvath said…
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