Green H₂ and Hydrogen Eagle – two strategic programs of the ORLEN Group – have received a total of $459 MM (PLN 1.7 billion) in non-repayable funding under the National Recovery Plan. The grant support will be used to produce renewable H₂ via electrolysis powered by renewable energy sources, as well as low-emission H₂ derived from municipal waste.

“The Energy of Tomorrow Starts Today – that is the title of our strategy through 2035. For us, it is more than a slogan – it is a firm commitment and a belief we uphold. That is why we are already investing in the development of our H₂ capabilities. The near PLN 2 billion secured for the Hydrogen Eagle and Green H₂ projects will accelerate progress in the H₂ segment. Funding from the National Recovery Plan will enable us to expand and scale up H₂ production infrastructure more efficiently, reinforcing both the domestic and European H₂ supply networks. It also supports the advancement of this future-oriented technology, which represents one of the key pathways to decarbonization,” said Ireneusz Fąfara, President of the Management Board and CEO of ORLEN S.A.

Advancing H₂ technology – one of the cornerstones of the energy transition – is a central pillar of ORLEN’s strategic agenda. By 2035, the group aims to expand its electrolysis-based H₂ production portfolio to a total capacity of approximately 0.9 GW, with around 0.7 GW to be developed in Poland. The remaining demand is expected to be met through imports of H₂ or its derivatives via maritime routes, contingent on the availability of import infrastructure.

Hydrogen Eagle is a capital investment program of the ORLEN Group aimed at developing diversified sources of renewable and low-emission H₂. Production will rely on both renewable energy sources and municipal waste, utilizing waste-to-H₂ technology. In addition to reinforcing the European H₂ infrastructure, Hydrogen Eagle will contribute to reducing carbon dioxide emissions and advancing the development of renewable energy sources.

Green H₂ is a project led by LOTOS Green H₂, a special-purpose vehicle within the ORLEN Group, focused on producing renewable H₂ for use in refinery operations at the Gdańsk fuel production site. The project involves the installation of a 100-MW electrolyzer integrated with an energy storage system. Recently, the corporate venture capital fund ORLEN VC invested in Hystar, a manufacturer of high-efficiency PEM electrolyzers for large-scale zero-emission H₂ production. The investment will provide technological support for the group’s H₂ initiatives.

The grants awarded to ORLEN Group’s projects were allocated under the third round of funding within measure B2.1.1 "Investments in H2 technologies, production, storage and transport of H₂". The program is administered by Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, with funding provided through the National Recovery Plan, which aims to restore the economy’s growth potential and strengthen its competitiveness.