OMV has secured up to €123m ($143.7m) in production funding from Austria Wirtschaftsservice (aws) to develop a 140MW green hydrogen electrolyser plant in Bruck an der Leitha, Lower Austria.
Expected to become operational by the end of 2027, the facility is set to play a key role in the decarbonisation of industrial processes at OMV’s refinery in Schwechat.
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It is set to become one of Europe’s five largest green hydrogen production sites and the largest of its kind in Austria and south-eastern Europe.
OMV will invest a sum in the mid-hundreds of millions of euros in the project, which aims to produce up to 23,000 tonnes (t) of green hydrogen annually using renewable electricity generated from wind, solar and hydropower sources.
Annual output from the plant is forecast to reduce carbon emissions by up to 150,000t, contributing towards decarbonisation efforts at OMV’s Schwechat refinery.
The European Hydrogen Bank (EHB) previously recommended the project for funding following a positive assessment.
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By GlobalDataThe funding agreement with aws formalises Austria’s support for the initiative via EHB’s programme administered by the former as national processing office.
OMV CEO Alfred Stern said: “The positive assessment made by the EHB and the resulting funding from the Austrian state for our green hydrogen plant is a strong signal for the future of sustainable energy supply and Austria as a location.
“With our project, we are setting a milestone for the energy transition in Europe and showing how OMV combines innovation and responsibility.”
Construction of the Austrian green hydrogen plant began in September 2025 after permits for building and operations were granted.
As part of its development, OMV will construct a hydrogen pipeline of approximately 22km in length to connect the new plant directly with the Schwechat refinery.
In November 2025, OMV and Masdar signed an agreement to establish a joint venture for financing, construction and operation of the plant.
The partnership will see OMV hold a majority stake while Masdar will own 49%.
The transaction is expected to close in early 2026, pending final documentation and regulatory approvals.
A consortium led by Siemens Energy will deliver the engineering, procurement, construction services for the plant.
Siemens Energy will provide electrolysis technology and oversee technical planning as well as supply critical equipment such as electrolysis stacks and compressors.
STRABAG, the other partner in the consortium, will handle civil engineering works and industrial infrastructure construction on site.
OMV currently operates a smaller-scale, 10MW electrolyser in Austria and expects the new facility to significantly expand its capacity for local production of green hydrogen.
The company’s strategy includes increasing sustainability at its Schwechat refinery through direct supply of green hydrogen produced at Bruck an der Leitha.
