OMV builds €600 million hydrogen plant in Lower Austria

Voices from companies and EU institutions

Florey, Deputy CEO and CFO of OMV, also pointed to the industrial significance of the location. „Die Produktion von grünem Wasserstoff in Österreich ermöglicht es uns, den Einsatz nachhaltigerer Energie in unserer Produktion sowie für unsere innovativen Produkte zu erhöhen. Der Bau einer der größten Anlagen für grünen Wasserstoff in Europa ist ein wichtiger Meilenstein bei der Dekarbonisierung unserer industriellen Prozesse“, Florey explained.

Karl Nehammer, Vice President of the European Investment Bank and former Federal Chancellor of Austria, emphasized the strategic dimension of the investment for Europe. „Grüner Wasserstoff ist ein wichtiger Baustein des Übergangs zu einem wettbewerbsfähigen, klimaneutralen und sicheren Energiesystem für Europa“, Nehammer said. The investment also lays the foundation for the future production of sustainable aviation fuels and supports the EU's climate and energy security goals: „Diese Investition legt zudem den Grundstein für die künftige Produktion von nachhaltigen Flugkraftstoffen und unterstützt damit die Klima- und Energiesicherheitsziele der EU.

Contribution to climate goals and OMV Strategy 2030

Through the use of green hydrogen at the Schwechat refinery, direct emissions are expected to be reduced by around ten percent, according to OMV. This corresponds to approximately 150,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The plant is considered one of Europe's largest production facilities for green hydrogen and is part of OMV Strategy 2030, with which the company aims to achieve a hydrogen capacity of around 900,000 tonnes by the end of the decade.

OMV already operates smaller hydrogen plants at various European locations. In addition, plants for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) are in the process of being implemented. In the long term, OMV has set itself the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The major facility now announced is a central building block on this path and is intended to serve as a reference project for further industrial decarbonization steps in Europe.

Site selection and timeline

With the Bruck an der Leitha site, OMV is opting for a region that already has industrial infrastructure and a direct pipeline connection to the Schwechat refinery. The proximity to the existing processing site makes it possible to feed the hydrogen produced directly into the production process without complex transportation. Industry observers see this as a decisive advantage for the project's economic viability.

According to OMV, completion of the plant is scheduled for the end of 2027. Once it goes into operation, Austria could significantly strengthen its position as a location for green hydrogen technology in Europe. At the same time, the project underscores the growing role of renewable energy sources for domestic industry and the European energy supply.