MOL Group further strengthens the hydrogen infrastructure

MOL Group has taken another step towards developing hydrogen mobility. A hydrogen filling station in Bratislava, which also supplies the local public transport company’s hydrogen buses with hydrogen produced at the Slovnaft refinery, has been upgraded and helps to refuel buses and trucks more efficiently. The upgrade has extended the range of the buses by 40%, which significantly contributes to the more efficient operation of public transport in Bratislava. MOL Group’s strategic goal is to make the operations of industrial players and the mobility sector more sustainable with alternative energy sources, such as hydrogen.

The filling station, located at the Bratislava refinery and opened in 2022, is operated by Messer Slovnaft s.r.o., a joint venture between Messer Tatragas and Slovnaft. The cooperation is crucial for the development of the Slovak hydrogen infrastructure. The station has been upgraded to provide a higher pressure of 350 bar for refueling hydrogen buses and trucks, ensuring a longer range. The development reduces the need for frequent refuelling, optimising operations and increasing the overall efficiency of hydrogen buses and trucks.

Hydrogen as a fuel is a sustainable alternative primarily for freight, cargo and public transport. Hydrogen vehicles have a number of advantages, including zero emissions, quiet operation, fast refuelling and longer range compared to battery electric vehicles.

Last year, the largest green hydrogen plant in Central and Eastern Europe to date, with a capacity of 10 megawatts, began operating at MOL Group’s Százhalombatta refinery. The facility uses electricity from renewable sources to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen, while no polluting by-products are generated. This reduces the Danube Refinery’s carbon dioxide emissions by 25 000 tonnes. The 1,600 tonnes of clean, carbon-neutral green hydrogen produced here per year is used for fuel production and according to MOL Group’s plans, soon we can directly meet it in the mobility sector. After the Százhalombatta plant, preparations are underway to build similar electrolysis units in Bratislava and Rijeka.