One of Europe's largest green hydrogen plants completed in Sázhalombatta

In spring 2022, MOL announced the project for a 10 megawatt green hydrogen plant, which was inaugurated on 11 April 2024. The development is the largest of its kind in Central and Eastern Europe, and the Hungarian giant is building it in partnership with Plug Power, a leading US player in the green hydrogen systems market.

The new 10 megawatt capacity hydrogen plant will support and make more sustainable the fuel production of the 100MW oil refinery in Halombatta. The complex will reduce the annual carbon dioxide emissions of the Danube Refinery by 25 000 tonnes. According to a Mol statement, the plant will start production in the second half of 2024.

As Mol previously emphasised in connection with the investment, the production of green hydrogen does not generate any greenhouse gases: the Plug Power equipment uses electricity from renewable sources to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen.

This way, no by-products are produced that would have a negative impact on the environment: in fact, by producing 1 tonne of hydrogen, the plant produces 8-9 tonnes of pure oxygen and saves the use of almost 10 000 tonnes of natural gas.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Energy Csaba Lantos stressed that electrification is important for Hungary, and the electricity we use for this purpose should be produced as much as possible at home.