MOL inaugurates central Europe’s largest green hydrogen plant

Hungary’s MOL Group has handed over the largest green hydrogen plant in Central and Eastern Europe. The 10 megawatt capacity facility in Százhalombatta marks a €22 million investment and makes fuel production more sustainable by reducing Danube Refinery’s carbon dioxide emissions by 25,000 tonnes.

Following the handover, MOL will be able to produce 1,600 tonnes of clean, carbon-neutral green hydrogen per year using electricity from renewable sources.

Green goals realised

The project opens a new chapter in the hydrogen economy in line with MOL Group’s SHAPE TOMORROW corporate strategy to make the region more sustainable, competitive and self-sufficient.

A 10MW electrolysis unit created by Plug Power will gradually replace the Százhalombatta plant’s natural gas-based production process, which currently accounts for one sixth of MOL Group’s total carbon dioxide emissions.

The site will start producing in the second half of 2024, whereupon MOL will use the green hydrogen primarily in its own network for fuel production.

Leveraging new technology

US company Plug Power’s electrolysis equipment uses electricity from renewable sources to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen. This means no polluting by-products are generated - in fact, it produces 8-9 tonnes of pure oxygen per tonne of hydrogen.

Plug’s “innovative and reliable technology” - in the form of hydrogen generators optimised for the production of pure hydrogen - comes with almost 50 years of operational pedigree.

Landmark moment for MOL

József Molnár, CEO of MOL Group, said his company had reached “another milestone” by being able to produce green hydrogen without creating greenhouse gases. 

“Using this technology, we are able to achieve the same emissions reduction as if we took roughly 5,500 cars off the road overnight,” he revealed.

“Today, our new green hydrogen plant is only making MOL’s industrial operations greener, but tomorrow it will offer solutions for the whole industry and hydrogen mobility.”

Green hydrogen’s regional growth

The CEO confirmed that after Száhalombatta MOL will take the technology to its other two fuel production units to make the fuel production process more sustainable at each of its refineries with green hydrogen plants planned for Rijeka and Bratislava.

MOL Group - an international, integrated oil, gas, petrochemicals and consumer retail company headquartered in Budapest - said the €22m investment is in line with MOL Group’s corporate strategy.

Plug CEO Andy Marsh added: “Together, we are advancing towards carbon neutrality, fostering greener operations, and propelling the hydrogen economy forward.”