Hungary’s MOL Group has officially begun production at Central and Eastern Europe’s largest green hydrogen plant, located at its refinery in Százhalombatta.
The facility has a capacity of 10 megawatts (MW). It uses electrolyser technology from the American company Plug Power and it produces 1,600 tons of carbon-neutral green hydrogen annually. The launch shows MOL Group’s commitment to its SHAPE TOMORROW strategy, which aims to inspire sustainability, self-sufficiency and competitiveness in the region.
Before production begun, the necessary tasks were completed, including pressure tests, inspection of the process control system, installation and integration of the electrolyser cells and the commissioning of the water treatment system.
The green hydrogen produced will mainly be used in MOL’s fuel production processes, significantly reducing the company’s carbon footprint. The Százhalombatta facility will lower the Danube Refinery’s carbon dioxide emissions by 25,000 tons each year, an amount comparable to the annual emissions of 5,400 average cars.
“Green hydrogen is a clean and versatile energy source that we currently use in fuel production to reduce our carbon footprint,” said Ádám Horváth, Director of New and Sustainable Businesses at MOL Group. “However, we plan to introduce it directly into the transportation sector in the near future. The production and use of green hydrogen innovatively supports the smart green transition, which is a fundamental goal of MOL’s strategy. Following Százhalombatta, we plan to establish similar facilities in Bratislava and Rijeka, with the latter expected to start operations in 2026.”
The 22-million-euro investment is expected to significantly reduce the company’s environmental impact. The new plant will gradually replace natural gas-based hydrogen production, which currently accounts for a one-sixth of the company’s emissions.
