OMV Launches Austria’s Largest Green Hydrogen Production Plant to Drive Sustainable Fuels and Chemicals

OMV Launches Austria’s Largest Green Hydrogen Production Plant to Drive Sustainable Fuels and Chemicals

(IN BRIEF) OMV has launched Austria’s largest green hydrogen production plant at its Schwechat refinery, with an annual capacity of up to 1,500 metric tons. This EUR 25 million investment will significantly reduce CO2 emissions by up to 15,000 metric tons per year. The green hydrogen produced will be used to make sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel (HVO). The plant, powered entirely by renewable electricity, is central to OMV’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

(PRESS RELEASE) VIENNA, 1-May-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — OMV has successfully launched its green hydrogen production plant at the Schwechat refinery near Vienna, marking a significant step in the company’s efforts to support the transition to more sustainable fuels and chemicals. The plant, the largest of its kind in Austria, has an annual capacity to produce up to 1,500 metric tons of green hydrogen, powered entirely by renewable electricity from wind, hydro, and solar sources. This innovation is set to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 15,000 metric tons per year, equivalent to the annual CO2 consumption of 2,000 people.

The 10-megawatt green hydrogen facility, which represents a EUR 25 million investment, will play a critical role in producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel (HVO) at the Schwechat refinery. The plant uses a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzer to produce green hydrogen through electrolysis, a process that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity.

Martijn van Koten, OMV Board Member for Fuels & Feedstock and Chemicals, commented, “With the start-up of Austria’s largest electrolysis plant, we are rethinking how everyday essentials are produced sustainably. Green hydrogen is at the core of this transformation, serving as a key enabler in producing sustainable fuels and chemicals, while advancing the decarbonization of our Schwechat site. This initiative not only helps advance Europe’s climate goals but also strengthens the resilience of local production and supply chains.”

OMV has committed to becoming net-zero by 2050, with a focus on pioneering projects in areas such as geothermal energy, sustainable aviation fuel, and chemical recycling. Green hydrogen, generated via electrolysis, is a central element of OMV’s transformation strategy, playing a vital role in the production processes at its refineries.

The green hydrogen plant is certified under the Renewable Energy Directive (EU) 2018/2001 (RED II) for producing renewable fuel of non-biological origin (RFNBO). The project has been supported by the Climate and Energy Fund Austria and is part of the WIVA P&G Hydrogen Initiative Model Region Austria Power & Gas. Kommunalkredit also provided crucial support during the development phase to ensure the project’s successful completion.

Key Facts about the Green Hydrogen Plant:

• Location: OMV Schwechat refinery, 2320 Schwechat/Lower Austria
• Capacity: 10 megawatts
• Start of Operation: April 2025
• Production Volume: Up to 1,500 metric tons of green hydrogen per year
• CO2 Emission Savings: Up to 15,000 metric tons per year

Investment Volume: Approx. EUR 25 million

About making green hydrogen via PEM electrolysis

Making green hydrogen through PEM electrolysis involves splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity. At the anode, oxygen and positively charged hydrogen protons are generated. These protons pass through the PEM, and at the cathode, they combine with electrons to form hydrogen gas. Since water consists of two hydrogen atoms for every oxygen atom, the process produces twice as much hydrogen as oxygen.

See also the OMV blog post for more details.

About OMV Aktiengesellschaft

It is our purpose to re-invent essentials for sustainable living. OMV is transitioning to become an integrated sustainable chemicals, fuels and energy company with a focus on circular economy solutions. By gradually switching over to the low carbon business, OMV is striving to achieve net zero by 2050 at the latest. In 2024, the company generated revenues of 34 billion euros with a diverse and talented workforce of around 23,600 employees worldwide. OMV shares are traded on the Vienna Stock Exchange (OMV) and in the US as American Depository Receipts (OMVKY). For more information, please visit www.omv.com.

Media Contact:

International Media Relations

Brigitte Köck
Tel: +43 (1) 40440-0
media.relations@omv.com

SOURCE: OMV