The Hydrogen Stream: OMV starts 10 MW H2 production plant near Vienna

OMV has successfully commenced operations at its 10 MW green hydrogen plant located at the Schwechat refinery near Vienna, making it the largest facility of its kind in Austria. The company invested €25 million ($28.41 million) in the plant, capable of producing up to 1,500 metric tons of green hydrogen annually. The green hydrogen will be utilized in the production of sustainable fuels and chemicals, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel (HVO). Powered by renewable electricity from wind, hydro, and solar sources, the installation uses a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzer.

In a separate development, TU Graz has opened a hydrogen electrolysis test center at its Inffeldgasse Campus to enhance and evaluate hydrogen technologies. The facility covers 250 square meters and accommodates electrolyzers with a combined capacity of 1.6 MW to 2.5 MW. Equipped with a dedicated transformer station for stable power supply, researchers can simulate various electricity scenarios. Hydrogen at 80 bar of pressure is directed through a pipeline to an 18-meter-high storage tank with a capacity of 190 kg (48m³), and then via a 315-meter underground pipeline to multiple institutes at Campus Inffeldgasse for continuous research purposes.

Wärtsilä has finished the development of the world’s first floating ammonia-to-hydrogen cracker in collaboration with Hölear Evi. This innovative technology enables floating import terminals to produce hydrogen at an industrial scale from transported ammonia, representing a significant advancement in the energy transition. The modular design of the industrial-scale ammonia cracker is compatible with hybrid floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) and dedicated floating hydrogen terminals, offering scalability with a send-out capacity of up to 210,000 tonnes of hydrogen annually, with ammonia storage capacities ranging from 10,000m³ to 120,000m³.

BMW has initiated pilot operations of its first hydrogen trucks at Plant Leipzig as part of the European H2Haul project, partnering with Iveco, DHL, and TEAL mobility. The German automaker aims to evaluate the performance of these trucks in daily operations between Leipzig, Landsberg, and Nuremberg, while concurrently establishing new hydrogen refueling stations in Leipzig and Hormersdorf.