Poland Green Hydrogen
The European Union (EU) aims to increase the use and importance of electrolysis generated hydrogen in the energy and transport sectors. This forward-looking approach will reduce the dependency of hydrogen produced from fossil fuels, which accounted for 95% of its production in 2020.
Poland already has a hydrogen strategy in place, and the construction of a hydrogen electrolysis plant near Konin is nearing reality. The Polish market is waiting for hydrogen regulations.
According to energy experts the hydrogen market it should develop very dynamically due to increasing amounts of renewable sources, which are the basis for green hydrogen production. The President of Poland’s National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management announced recently that in 2022 the Fund will want to enter into hydrogen initiatives giving low interest loans to investors.
Countries committed to climate neutrality are looking at ways to decarbonize every sector of the economy, and hydrogen can play a key role due to its ability to be used as an energy carrier and as a raw material. Poland is one of the key hydrogen producers in Europe and in the world, and its consumption of hydrogen will triple by 2050. Poland’s hydrogen is produced using coal and gas sources, and unfortunately is not emission-free hydrogen, which does not align with the EU’s strategy and climate policy. Nevertheless, Poland is well positioned to be a leader in hydrogen energy due to its experience with hydrogen applications, and transmission and storage facilities are already in place.
Poland’s leading hydrogen investments include:
1. ZE PAK: the first hydrogen production company in Poland. In April 2020 ZE PAK purchased a 2.5 MW electrolyzer to produce emission-free hydrogen as part of a 50-MW biomass unit in Konin. The company is also investing in green hydrogen re-fueling stations.
2. LOTOS Petrobaltic has plans to build wind powered electrolyzers, which will produce hydrogen when the demand for electricity is lower. The company’s business strategy includes the construction of 100 MW electrolyzers by 2025, with increases to 1 GW by 2030, and then 4 GW by 2040. The electrolyzers will produce hydrogen for the company’s refinery in Gdansk.
3. AZOTY PULAWY GROUP, Poland’s largest producer, accounts for 32% of the country’s domestic hydrogen production. Currently, the company produces “grey” hydrogen which is used for the production of fertilizers. In order to maintain its market position, Grupa Azoty plans to gradually decarbonize its hydrogen production through investments in renewable energy sources and electrolyzers.
4. PKN ORLEN: Poland’s largest state-owned energy company, is planning the construction of 54 hydrogen charging stations in Poland by 2030, and the construction of 250 MW electrolyzers. The plan called “Hydrogen Eagle” will support the transportation sector.
Annual demand for hydrogen in Poland in 2040 will exceed 100 TWh. Hydrogen production in Poland should be carried out along three pathways: 1. The use of surplus RES, 2. Operation of a dedicated part of RES generation in the off-grid system integrated with dedicated electrolyzers and 3. Dispersed production for local needs.
By 2040, there is a realistic chance that electrolyzers with a capacity of more than 20 GW will be able to meet the demand for hydrogen. Report-Green-hydrogen-from-RES.pdf (dise.org.pl)
For more information please contact CS Poland at office.warsaw@trade.gov.