29-05-2025

OMV announces new investment in large 140 MW green hydrogen plant

OMV has officially inaugurated its flagship ReOil® and electrolyser facilities at the Schwechat refinery near Vienna. The proprietary ReOil chemical recycling plant converts hard-to-recycle plastics into virgin-quality products, driving circularity and reducing environmental impact. The new 10 MW electrolyzer facility has a production capacity of up to 1,500 tons of green hydrogen annually and is the biggest of its kind in Austria. The two pioneering technologies took center-stage at OMV’s event 'From Innovation to Impact: Forward for Good', hosted by Alfred Stern, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of OMV, and Martijn van Koten, OMV Executive Vice President Fuels & Feedstock and Chemicals.

Alfred Stern, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of OMV: “This inauguration marks a decisive step in our Strategy 2030. It is driven by one clear ambition: to become an integrated sustainable chemicals, fuels, and energy company, while remaining steadfast in our commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Such systemic change requires collaboration across the entire value chain, which is why I am delighted to commemorate this milestone with all those who contribute and share our vision to shaping a more sustainable future.”

Stern added: “As customer needs continue to evolve, our two transformative technologies empower us to meet both current and future demands. By strengthening the link between refining and chemical production, we unlock greater efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability. This is how we turn molecules into value — and strategy into meaningful impact.”

Furthermore, OMV has made the final decision to invest a mid-three-digit million-euro sum in a new flagship green hydrogen plant in Bruck an der Leitha, Lower Austria. There, OMV plans to build a 140 MW electrolysis facility, subject to and under the assumption of a positive outcome of the European and Austrian Hydrogen Bank auction. With an annual production capacity of up to 23,000 tons of green hydrogen, the new plant will be one of the largest of its kind in Europe. OMV expects to reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 150,000 tons per year*, equivalent to the annual carbon footprint of 20,000 people**.

Martijn van Koten, OMV Executive Vice President Fuels & Feedstock and Chemicals: “With this project, we are re-inventing the production of everyday essential fuels and chemical products – a groundbreaking step that demonstrates how industrial innovation and sustainability can go hand in hand. By using green hydrogen in the future, we are making the processes and production of fuels and chemical products more sustainable and are future-proofing our industry. Our planned 140 MW electrolysis plant in Bruck an der Leitha will meet a significant share of the hydrogen demand at the OMV Schwechat refinery, reinforcing our role as a pioneer in industrial transformation.”

With an expected start-up at the end of 2027, the new facility will produce green hydrogen using renewable energy from wind, solar, and hydro power. This 140 MW electrolyser project is set to benefit from the experience gained from OMV’s 10 MW electrolyser facility. The latter was successfully completed in partnership with Kommunalkredit at the end of 2024. As one of the first green hydrogen production plants in Europe, it has been certified as Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO) under the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED) legislation.

At a glance

The two pioneering technologies at OMV’s inauguration event “From Innovation to Impact Forward for Good”:

ReOil® chemical recycling plant: Converts hard-to-recycle plastics into virgin-quality products, driving circularity and reducing environmental impact.

Austria’s largest operational green hydrogen electrolyser: A 10 MW facility with a production capacity of up to 1,500 tons of green hydrogen annually, paving the way for a scaled-up electrolyser by 2027. The planned 140 MW electrolyser facility in Bruck an der Leitha, Lower Austria: Production volume: Up to 23,000 metric tons of green hydrogen per year, with a CO₂ emissions reduction of around 150,000 metric tons annually*

Based on OMV internal calculations

** Based on EU average mix per person of 7.5t CO₂ eq/year according UBA report 2024