PKN Orlen has signed a contract with the Municipal Transport Company in Poznan for the supply of hydrogen fuel, which will be used to power zero-emission city buses. The corporation will supply 1.8 million kilograms of hydrogen fuel, which will be produced at the Wloclawek hub, for the next 15 years for the Poznan transport.

Hydrogen buses are expected to appear in Poznań in the second half of 2023 – at which time a hydrogen loading station will be put into service.

“We are consistently investing in modern hydrogen technology, which will ensure our dynamic development and strong position in Europe, and guarantee Poland’s security and energy independence in the long term. Hydrogen has great potential, especially in public transport,” said PKN Orlen CEO Daniel Obajtek.

Orlen promises to build a network of more than 100 hydrogen stations in Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia by 2030. In Kraków, the company has already launched its first mobile hydrogen refuelling station in Poland, with stations in other cities to follow within a year.

“The agreement signed with MPK in Poznań is another important step which brings us closer to achieving our goal, while at the same time providing real support for the development of ecological, zero-emission public transport in the capital of Wielkopolska Region, improving the quality of life of its residents”, stresses Obajtek.

The new hydrogen vehicle fuelling infrastructure will be located at the Orlen stations. The facility will be open to the public – not only MPK Poznań buses will refuel there, but also all users of hydrogen-fuelled vehicles.

The Orlen Group currently operates two hydrogen stations in Germany, and a further three will be opened this year in the Czech Republic. In Poland, apart from Poznań, a station is also being built in Katowice, and tendering procedures are also underway in Wałbrzych, Piła and Włocławek. According to the assumptions, the corporation will spend PLN 7.4 billion on hydrogen projects until 2030.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński