The first 20 MW electrolyser module for the production of green hydrogen at the Petrobrazi refinery, was delivered and will have the capacity of producing 3,000 tonnes green hydrogen per year, in order to support the biofuel production at the refinery, OMV Petrom announced in a press release on Tuesday.

The module will be installed and connected to the power network.

According to the company, this is an important milestone in the construction of the new unit that will enable the production of sustainable fuels, SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) and HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil or renewable diesel).

'Starting the delivery of the modules for the 20 MW green hydrogen capacity marks an important step in transforming the Petrobrazi refinery into the largest sustainable fuel production hub in the region, contributing at the same time to the achievement of Romania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan targets. The green hydrogen to be produced will support the production of SAF and HVO, essential fuels for low-emission mobility. The sustainable fuels unit represents a key milestone in our energy transition and commitment to contribute to the decarbonization of transportation,' Member of the OMV Petrom Executive Board Radu Caprau is quoted in the press release as saying.

The first electrolyser module has been delivered to Petrobrazi refinery, while the remaining three modules of the 20 MW project will be delivered in the following months.

The equipment is supplied by Neuman & Esser from Germany, while the site construction, unloading, fabrication of construction elements and integration of the modules within Petrobrazi refinery are being carried out by Kraftanlagen Romania in partnership with local suppliers.

The project for the 20 MW green hydrogen plant benefits from around EUR 21 million non-reimbursable funds through PNRR.

The SAF HVO programme involves total investments of EUR 750 million: EUR 560 million for the construction of the SAF/HVO unit and EUR 190 million for the two green hydrogen production facilities. The new SAF/HVO unit will have an annual capacity of 250,000 tons. Construction began last year and start of production is planned for 2028.

The two green hydrogen projects, with a total installed capacity of 55 MW and an annual production of around 8,000 tonnes, will be used to produce sustainable SAF and HVO fuels, obtained from vegetable and used cooking oils.

According to OMV Petrom, these fuels can reduce CO2 emissions by at least 65% over the entire economic cycle. In the production process, hydrogen plays an essential role: through hydro-fining, it contributes to the elimination of unwanted compounds from oils, facilitating their conversion into sustainable fuels compatible with the current infrastructure.

The hydrogen produced at Petrobrazi will be green hydrogen, obtained by electrolysis of water using energy from renewable sources - the cleanest form of hydrogen.

OMV Petrom is the largest integrated energy producer in South-Eastern Europe with an annual oil and gas production at group level of approximately 38 million boe in 2025. The Group has a refining capacity of 4.5 million tonnes per year and operates a high-efficiency natural gas power plant of 860 MW.

On the retail petroleum products distribution market, the Group is present in Romania and neighbouring countries through approximately 780 filling stations, under two brands - OMV and Petrom.

OMV Petrom is listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, with 28.1% of its shares in free float. At the end of 2025, Romanian shareholders held around 45% of the shares, of which the Romanian state held 20.7%, while 24.4% were held by pension funds in Romania, as well as other Romanian individuals and legal entities.

OMV Aktiengesellschaft held 51.2% of OMV Petrom's shares, while the remaining 3.7% were held by other foreign investors. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Andreea Marinescu; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)