© OMV

OMV has laid the foundation stone for a 140MW electrolysis plant in Bruck an der Leitha, eastern Austria, which is scheduled to begin producing green hydrogen at the end of 2027.

The state-owned oil and gas group said the facility will become Austria’s largest hydrogen project, supplying up to 23,000 tonnes of renewable hydrogen annually to its Schwechat refinery near Vienna. The project has been positively assessed for funding by the European Hydrogen Bank (EHB) but remains contingent on the conclusion of a final subsidy agreement.

Investment and infrastructure plans

OMV will invest a mid-triple-digit million-euro sum in the development, which also includes a 22km pipeline connecting the electrolyser to Schwechat. The company expects the shift from grey hydrogen, made from natural gas, to green hydrogen to cut direct emissions from the refinery by around 150,000 tonnes a year — roughly 10 per cent of its current production-related output.

Siemens Energy and Strabag partnerships

Siemens Energy will lead the engineering, procurement and construction consortium and supply the electrolysis technology, including stacks, transformers and compressors. Austrian construction group Strabag will handle civil works and site infrastructure. “As consortium leader, we are pleased to be working with OMV and Strabag to build one of Europe’s largest electrolysis plants,” said Juha Pankakoski, a board member at Siemens Energy.

Building on earlier hydrogen experience

OMV already operates a 10MW electrolyser at Schwechat, which came online in April, and said that experience will help inform the design and operation of the larger project. Alfred Stern, OMV’s chief executive, described the foundation laying as “a clear signal for the energy transition” and stressed hydrogen’s role in decarbonising fuel production under the group’s Strategy 2030.

Regulatory and funding context

The European Hydrogen Bank, managed at national level by Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH, is finalising a funding agreement with OMV, with a contract expected by the end of 2025. The timeline aligns with EU efforts to expand electrolyzer capacity as part of its broader decarbonization strategy, but the economics of large-scale hydrogen remain heavily dependent on subsidies and regulatory backing.

Implications for Europe’s hydrogen market

If completed as planned, the Bruck an der Leitha plant will rank among the five largest hydrogen projects in Europe and strengthen Austria’s position in the bloc’s emerging hydrogen market. For policymakers, the project illustrates both the potential for refinery decarbonization and the continuing reliance of major industrial players on state support to advance the sector.