MOL Group has handed over a 10 megawatt (MW) capacity green hydrogen plant in Szazhalombatta – the largest in Central and Eastern Europe.

The €22 million ($23 million) investment, which makes fuel production more sustainable, will reduce the Danube Refinery's carbon dioxide emissions by 25,000 tonnes.

MOL will be able to produce 1,600 tonnes of clean, carbon-neutral green hydrogen per year which opens a new chapter in hydrogen economy.

The investment is in line with the MOL Group's 'Shape Tomorrow' corporate strategy to make the region more sustainable, competitive and self-sufficient.

The new technology will gradually replace the natural gas-based production process, which currently accounts for one sixth of the MOL Group's total carbon dioxide emissions.

The plant will start producing in the H2 2024, and will primarily use green hydrogen in its own network for fuel production.

Plug Power has offered MOL an innovative and reliable technology

The US company's electrolysis equipment uses electricity from renewable sources to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen.

This means that no polluting by-products are generated and, in fact, the plant produces 8-9 tonnes of pure oxygen per tonne of hydrogen.

Jozsef Molnar, CEO of MOL Group, said: "Using this technology, we will be able to reduce emissions reduction equal to taking off 5,500 cars off the road overnight.

"After Száhalombatta, we will take the technology to the other two fuel production units of the group to make the fuel production process more sustainable at each of MOL Group's refineries."

Andy Marsh, Plug CEO, said: "As a potent way to reduce carbon emissions within refinery operations, we are proud to equip MOL with cutting-edge electrolyzer technology to efficiently produce green hydrogen. Together, we are advancing towards carbon neutrality, fostering greener operations, and propelling the hydrogen economy forward."