With ambitious strategies and groundbreaking projects, Poland is transforming its energy landscape, paving the way for a greener, more self-reliant future powered by hydrogen.
Demanding Strategy
Nowadays, about 90 percent of hydrogen is produced and used in the fertilizer and refining industries, but its future lies in the power industry and production from renewable sources, primarily electrolysis, but also biomass gasification. As hydrogen as an energy carrier has been recently gaining popularity worldwide, Poland is intensively developing its hydrogen industry using its natural resources, technological innovations, and research potential, understanding its role in the ongoing global energy revolution.
In 2024, global demand for hydrogen was almost 100 million tonnes, and according to the latest forecasts, it is expected to increase to 400 million tonnes by 2050. In 2024, the European Union produced 7.5 million tonnes, including 1.3 million in Poland, making it the 3rd largest producer among EU member states, just behind Germany and the Netherlands. In 2021, the Polish Government adopted the Hydrogen Strategy Until 2030, which provides for the establishment of the entire hydrogen value chain in Poland, including renewable energy sources (RES), production, transportation, and end usage. This ambitious strategy perfectly aligns with other national and international strategic initiatives, especially the European Union documents, such as the EU Hydrogen Strategy. In the long term, the efficient introduction of hydrogen into the energy mix will allow Poland to gain energy independence, benefiting both its economy and the natural environment.
Eleven Valleys
The core of the Hydrogen Strategy is the creation of the Hydrogen Valleys Innovation Ecosystem, where each valley will be a cluster of elements of the hydrogen value chain available at a specific location. A total of 11 valleys were established from 2021 to 2023, with one as early as 2018, including eight created or consulted on by the Industry Development Agency (ARP S.A.). They are expected to deliver so-called technology demonstrators to a given location, but essentially to transform the local energy industry by creating a value chain supported by science, business, and local administration, with the ultimate goal of achieving self-sufficiency in regional hydrogen economies.
To achieve this, it is necessary not only to invest but also to educate specialists capable of working in this dynamically developing sector. Such competencies are to be developed in close cooperation with universities and other educational establishments. Additionally, there are plans to implement support programs aimed at retraining workers from mining areas and adapting their skills to the needs of the hydrogen sector. The government also intends to initiate educational campaigns to raise public awareness of hydrogen-related technologies.
According to the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, which supports research and innovation in hydrogen technologies in Europe and operates a €2 billion EU fund for hydrogen economy development, each valley must fulfill five requirements: an investment scale of at least €20 million (EU average €100 million), a defined area, coverage of the entire hydrogen supply chain, diversity of users, and business feasibility. Thus, their profiles depend on local circumstances, stakeholders, and capacity.
For example, the Central Hydrogen Valley in Kielce, expected to produce 250 MW from hydrogen, is being developed by stakeholders such as Industria Group, ENEA, ML System, Łódź Special Economic Zone, Energia Europark Mielec, Rolls Royce SMR, Świętokrzyskie University of Technology, Energy Institute, the Industry Development Agency, the Central Office of Measures, and local authorities. It focuses on hydrogen production, decarbonized logistics, the energy industry, public transport, railways, and nuclear power. Another example is the Dolnośląska Hydrogen Valley, which has joined a consortium of 37 entities from Poland, Finland, Estonia, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Lithuania, and Latvia to create a hydrogen market with a full technology chain in the Baltic Sea region.
The number of Polish hydrogen initiatives is impressive. GAZ-SYSTEM, a Polish state-owned strategic operator of pipelines, the Baltic Pipe, and LNG Terminal, has published the Hydrogen Map of Poland study, covering 178 ongoing projects related to the production, consumption, distribution, and storage of hydrogen throughout the country.
Academy, Buses, and More
In the three years since the publication of the Polish Hydrogen Strategy, numerous significant projects have been successfully accomplished. The biggest investor in such projects is ORLEN GROUP, a state-owned multi-branch concern delivering energy to over 100 million people in Central and Eastern Europe. In 2023, it launched H2 Academy, the first Polish education program for hydrogen specialists in various industries such as manufacturing, aviation, shipping, and transportation. Courses with dozens of lecturers and experts are organized for students and graduates at several locations, including Technology Universities in Warsaw, Gdańsk, and Kraków, as well as at facilities such as Anwill (chemicals), Toyota Motor Poland, Toyota Central Europe, PESA Bydgoszcz (trains), and Solaris (H2 buses).
In 2023, Orlen also began operating Poland’s first hydrogen-powered locomotive, engineered in cooperation with the Polish train producer PESA. The locomotive’s full tank suffices for 24 hours of operation at a maximum velocity of 90 km/h, emitting only steam. In 2024, PESA signed letters of intent to deliver hydrogen locomotives and engines to Sweden and Czechia.
Orlen is also developing a chain of public 24-hour hydrogen stations for motor vehicles. In August 2024, it opened the first one in Poznań for passenger cars, trucks, and city buses, followed by a second in Katowice in December. By 2030, Orlen plans to operate 57 stations in Poland, 28 in Czechia, and 26 in Slovakia.
At present, hydrogen buses are produced by two Polish companies, Solaris and Nesobus. They are already deployed in cities such as Kraków, Gdynia, Gdańsk, Wrocław, Poznań, Lublin, Chełm, Wałbrzych, and Rybnik. Solaris has produced 200 hydrogen buses for various European cities and has orders for 500 more. Nesobus has delivered 56 buses to Polish towns. A third company, Autosan, has delivered its prototype for tests in Warsaw and Kraków.
Hydrogen Production
Polish companies have also begun large-scale production of hydrogen. In June 2024, Promet-Plast opened the first plant in Gaj Oławski near Wrocław, with 5 MW output enabling hydrogen production for Wałbrzych city public transport. Polenergia intends to build a second factory in Dąbrowa Górnicza (Upper Silesia) with a capacity of approximately 105 MW, enabling the production of around 13,000 tons of hydrogen per year. The European Commission’s notification decision has confirmed funding of up to €143 million.
The Industry Development Agency, in partnership with two other entities, plans a third factory in Upper Silesia. The technology partner has already been selected. The total cost of the venture will amount to €1.5 to €2 billion, including zł 600 million to be invested in 2025.
