Polish oil refiner PKN Orlen opened its first hydrogen station in Poland. By 2030, the Group is set to launch 100 public access hydrogen refuelling stations.
CEO of PKN Orlen, Daniel Obajtek underlined that the current tight situation on the energy market requires increased efforts to shift to alternatives from traditional fuels.
“The hydrogen revolution begins today in Krakow, where we are opening the first hydrogen refuelling station” said Mr Obajtek at the inauguration of the station. The hydrogen fuel will be produced in Orlen’s biorefinery in Trzebinia.
PKN Orlen pledged to spend 7.4 billion Polish zloties (1.6 billion euros) by 2030 on low- and zero-carbon hydrogen development projects based on renewable energy sources and municipal waste conversion technology.
As a result, ten hydrogen hubs will be developed by the end of the decade, with motorists in Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia provided with access to a network of over 100 hydrogen refuelling stations.
“Hydrogen has the potential to become an alternative to fossil fuels,” said the CEO of the company. “Its widespread use means independence from imported raw materials and a lower environmental impact. The hydrogen station launched in Krakow today shows that our investments are already bringing tangible results,” he highlighted.
The Orlen Group already operates two hydrogen refuelling stations in Germany and three more stations will be built this year, all three in the Czech Republic. Next year, Orlen plans to launch hydrogen stations in Poznań and Katowice, each featuring refuelling facilities for passenger cars and buses.
