Orlen is starting construction of a hydrogen hub in Szczecin. The PLN 75 million investment will produce 90 kilograms of automotive‑grade hydrogen per hour. The general contractor is the Polish company Torpol Oil & Gas. The hub will produce hydrogen using renewable energy, with a 5 MW electrolyser at its core. EU funding covers €62 million of the costs. This is another step in Orlen’s plan to build a nationwide hydrogen hub network.
The general contractor for the project is the Polish company Torpol Oil & Gas. The Szczecin hub will produce hydrogen using energy from renewable sources. The investment includes the construction of an electrolyser with a capacity of approximately 5 MW, hydrogen storage facilities, and infrastructure for loading and distributing the fuel. Assuming continuous operation at full capacity, the daily volume will reach 2,160 kg of hydrogen.
The share of domestic companies in strategic energy investments is growing. Orlen has chosen the Polish company Torpol Oil & Gas as the general contractor. The company will be responsible for building the hub in Szczecin.
– We are developing infrastructure that will be the foundation of the hydrogen economy in Poland and the entire region. Szczecin, thanks to its connection to the European TEN‑T transport corridors and its logistical facilities, is of key importance for building a zero‑emission transport market. This project supports our drive to achieve carbon neutrality and increase energy security. With a growing share of Polish companies, we are consistently building a full hydrogen value chain – from production, through storage, to distribution and use in transport and industry – said Grzegorz Jóźwiak, Executive Director for Biofuels and Hydrogen at Orlen.
Szczecin as a key location
The choice of location is not accidental. Szczecin is one of the most important points on the hydrogen infrastructure map that Orlen is developing in north‑western Poland. The project is strategically linked to the European TEN‑T transport corridors and key logistics hubs in the region.
The hydrogen produced in Szczecin will primarily be used for hydrogen refuelling stations. It is intended for public transport as well as passenger and heavy‑goods vehicles.
EU funding
The Szczecin hub is being built under the third phase of the „Clean Cities – Hydrogen Mobility in Poland” programme. The programme supports the development of low‑ and zero‑emission transport in Poland and the construction of alternative fuels infrastructure. For this investment, Orlen has received non‑refundable EU funding of €62 million.
The „Clean Cities – Hydrogen Mobility in Poland” programme is being implemented in stages. The Szczecin hub is part of its third phase. Orlen has not disclosed details of the first two phases or the specific objectives of the entire programme.
Orlen’s network of hubs
The investment in Szczecin is another stage in Orlen’s construction of a national network of hydrogen hubs. The first hub was built in Trzebinia in November 2021. Orlen is also working on further investments in low‑ and zero‑emission hydrogen sources. A waste gasification plant (Waste‑to‑Hydrogen) will be built in Płock. Further hydrogen hubs, based on water electrolysis powered by renewable energy, will be built in Włocławek and Gdańsk.
The infrastructure being developed is intended ultimately to form a coherent system for the production, storage and distribution of hydrogen for transport and industry throughout Poland. According to the investment schedule, the Szczecin hydrogen hub will begin operations at the turn of 2027‑28.
Fot. Orlen
