OMV Petrom, Southeastern Europe’s largest integrated energy producer, has received all seven modules for a 35 MW green hydrogen electrolyzer at its Petrobrazi refinery in Romania, taking the refinery’s planned total green hydrogen capacity to 55 MW, Solar Quarter reported.
The second electrolyzer project consists of seven 5 MW electrolysis modules supplied by Germany-based Neuman & Esser. The modules were delivered to the Petrobrazi refinery over the past two months and are now being integrated into the refinery’s infrastructure.
Construction, logistics, component manufacturing and module assembly are being carried out by Kraftanlagen Romania in partnership with local suppliers.
The 35 MW project is receiving around €29 million in non-reimbursable funding under Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). Once operational, the electrolyzer is expected to produce around 4,700 tonnes of green hydrogen annually using renewable electricity.
OMV Petrom plans to use the hydrogen in refinery processes, including the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO).
The company is also developing a 250,000-tonne-per-year SAF/HVO facility at Petrobrazi, which it expects to become the first major sustainable fuels production facility of its kind in Southeastern Europe.
The 35 MW electrolyzer will complement an earlier announced 20 MW unit, bringing the refinery’s total installed green hydrogen production capacity to 55 MW. Combined annual hydrogen production is expected to reach around 8,000 tonnes.
The hydrogen will be used to support SAF and HVO production from vegetable oils and waste oils. OMV Petrom said the resulting fuels are expected to deliver lifecycle CO₂ emissions reductions of at least 65% compared with conventional fuels.
The projects form part of OMV Petrom’s broader efforts to expand renewable hydrogen and low-carbon fuel production in Romania, with the company targeting increased production of sustainable fuels for the regional market.
