European ministerial delegations visited the largest capacity green hydrogen plant in the CEE region

European energy ministers visited the green hydrogen plant of MOL Group’s Danube Refinery in Százhalombatta. The delegations arrived in Budapest for the Central and South-Eastern Europe Energy Connectivity (CESEC) group’s ministerial meeting and discussed the potential use of green hydrogen. The facility is the largest capacity green hydrogen plant in Central and Eastern Europe and has recently started production. 

On October 28-29, the ministerial meeting of the Central and South-Eastern Europe Energy Connectivity High Level Group is being held in Budapest. The event was organized by the European Commission, in cooperation with the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. During the meeting, participants adopt conclusions and action plans related to electricity, renewable energy, and gas. Before the official programme, delegations visited MOL Group’s green hydrogen plant to gain firsthand experience of the largest capacity facility in Central and Eastern Europe. 

„We are happy to share our experience and knowledge we have gained so far in green hydrogen production with other countries of the CESEC group. We believe that green hydrogen can play an important role in making industrial activities and the mobility sector greener. MOL Group’s plant in Százhalombatta, along with our similar facilities planned in the region, is one of the first steps. We are committed to advancing the green energy transition through our investments. However, to meet the ambitious European Union climate goals while maintaining Europe’s competitiveness, there is a need for incentives for industry players and an EU regulatory environment that considers economic challenges and regional characteristics. I hope that European decision-makers are also partners of the industry in this” – said György Bacsa, Managing Director of MOL Hungary. 

Inaugurated in April, MOL Group’s 10 megawatt capacity green hydrogen plant began production at the end of summer. The facility uses electricity from renewable sources to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen, and produces 1,600 tonnes of clean, carbon-neutral green hydrogen per year which is used for fuel production. According to MOL Group’s plans, it can soon be used directly in the transportation sector as well. No polluting by-products are generated during the process, and, in fact, the plant produces 8-9 tonnes of pure oxygen per tonne of hydrogen. With this, the facility will reduce the carbon footprint of the Danube Refinery by more than 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, as much as the annual carbon dioxide emissions of roughly 5400 typical cars. 

The CESEC High-Level Group, established in 2015, coordinates efforts to facilitate energy infrastructure projects in Central-Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, working to accelerate market integration, the deployment of renewables and the integration of hydrogen and biomethane into networks in the region. In addition to the relevant EU member states of the region, the cooperation includes eight other countries of the Energy Community.