OMV starts the green hydrogen revolution in Bruck an der Leitha!

OMV starts the green hydrogen revolution in Bruck an der Leitha!

OMV, the renowned Austrian oil, gas and chemicals group, has announced major investments in the future of hydrogen technology. In a press release, the company announced that it plans to build a hydrogen electrolysis plant in Bruck an der Leitha. This plant will have a capacity of 140 megawatts (MW) and produce up to 23,000 tons of green hydrogen annually. This makes it one of the largest of its kind in Europe. The investment amount is estimated at a “mid three-digit million amount”, depending on the positive funding commitment from the European and Austrian Hydrogen Bank. Production is scheduled to begin by the end of 2027 and demonstrates OMV's commitment to sustainable energy - a step towards a greener future.

Martijn van Koten, board member for Fuels & Feedstock, emphasized that the use of green hydrogen can make the industry sustainable and future-proof. This is in line with OMV's corporate purpose to reinvent the foundations for sustainable living and to transition to an integrated provider of sustainable chemicals, fuels and energy. OMV aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest. In 2024, the company achieved sales of 34 billion euros and employs around 23,600 people worldwide. The company's shares are traded on the Vienna Stock Exchange and in the USA.

Competition in hydrogen production

Electrotechnical development in hydrogen production is a dynamic field. At the end of 2024, OMV had already commissioned a hydrogen electrolyser with a capacity of 10 MW, whose annual production is up to 1,500 tons of green hydrogen. This facility is considered the largest of its kind in Austria. In addition, the energy group Verbund, in collaboration with Burgenland Energie, plans to operate an electrolyser with an initial capacity of 60 MW by the end of 2026, which will later be expanded to 300 MW. These developments show that competition in the hydrogen industry is intense and new technologies are being advanced rapidly to meet the demand for green hydrogen.

Hydrogen technology plays a central role in a circular value creation system that promotes the principles of the circular economy. This economic method aims to minimize resource consumption, waste production, emissions and energy waste. The transition from linear to circular systems is crucial to ensure the sustainable use of raw materials. According to the Fraunhofer Society, this change is supported by various measures such as longevity, reuse and recycling. The importance of hydrogen technologies is therefore becoming increasingly clear not only in the energy sector, but also in terms of promoting the circular economy.