At the Százhalombatta refinery of MOL, a 10-megawatt capacity green H₂ plant, the largest in Central and Eastern Europe has started producing. The facility produces 1,600 tpy of clean, carbon-neutral green H₂ which is used for fuel production reducing the Danube Refinery's carbon dioxide emissions by 25,000 t, as much as the annual carbon dioxide emissions of roughly 5,400 typical cars. The step is in line with MOL Group's SHAPE TOMORROW corporate strategy to make the region more sustainable, competitive and self-sufficient.

MOL Group handed over its new Százhalombatta plant in April, where it produces around 1,600 tpy of clean, carbon-neutral green H₂ with a 10-megawatt electrolysis unit created by Plug Power. Necessary tasks to start production were carried out, including necessary pressure tests, inspection of the process control system, insertion and connection of the electrolytic cells into the system, and the water treatment system was put into operation as well.

Plug Power's electrolysis equipment uses electricity from renewable sources to break down water into H₂ and oxygen. This means that no polluting byproducts are generated, and, in fact, the plant produces 8 t−9 t of pure oxygen per t of H₂. The U.S. company has offered MOL an innovative and reliable technology: the H₂ generators, optimized to produce pure H₂, have almost 50 years of operational experience.

“Green H₂ is a clean and versatile energy source that we currently use for fuel production to reduce our carbon dioxide footprint, and according to our plans, soon it can be directly used in the transportation sector as well. Production and use of green H₂ helps the green energy transition in an innovative way, which is a fundamental goal of MOL’s strategy. After Százhalombatta, we are planning similar plants in Bratislava and Rijeka of which the latter can commence operations in 2026,” said Ádám Horváth, New and Sustainable Businesses Vice President of MOL Group.

The €22-MM plant will reduce the carbon footprint of the Danube Refinery by more than 25,000 tpy of carbon dioxide. The new technology will gradually replace the natural gas-based production process, which currently accounts for one sixth of MOL Group's total carbon dioxide emissions.