Austrian energy company OMV AG has secured up to €123 million (US$143.7m) in production funding from Austria Wirtschaftsservice (aws) to develop a 140MW green hydrogen electrolyser plant in Bruck an der Leitha, Lower Austria.

Austria Wirtschaftsservice is the federal development bank steering Austria’s hydrogen strategy and has already backed initiatives across renewables, grid modernisation and green hydrogen, with total commitments topping €1 billion according to Hydrogen Fuel News.

The hydrogen plant is set to become one of Europe’s five largest green hydrogen production sites. Expected to become operational by the end of 2027, it will play a key role in the decarbonisation of industrial processes at OMV’s refinery in Schwechat, producing up to 23,000 tonnes (t) of green hydrogen annually using renewable electricity generated from wind, solar and hydropower sources, and reducing carbon emissions by up to 150,000t per year — equivalent to taking upwards of 60,000 cars off the road.

The technology at the core of operations is Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolysis, which splits water into hydrogen and oxygen without additives. As such it qualifies for RFNBO certification under the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive. CertifHy EU RFNBO certification serves as evidence to qualify for incentives introduced by EU Member States aiming to reach decarbonisation targets in the transport sector. This guarantees profitability for stakeholders throughout the value chain. Read more.