H2Silesia is one of several hydrogen projects carried out by the Polenergia Group as part of its implemented development strategy. The most advanced among them is the H2HUB Nowa Sarzyna project, located in the Podkarpacie region, situated on the premises of the Nowa Sarzyna Cogeneration Plant. The project envisions the construction of a facility for the production of green hydrogen with a capacity of 5 MW.
The H2Silesia project could ultimately receive funding of up to 142.77 million euros under the IPCEI Hy2Infra program. It involves the construction of a large-scale green hydrogen factory with a capacity of approximately 105 MW, capable of producing around 13,000 tons of this resource annually.
Implemented in Upper Silesia, the project aims to provide renewable hydrogen for heavy industry and zero-emission transportation. Simultaneously, it could support the energy transformation of the region linked to the extraction and use of fossil fuels.
The Hy2Infra program was launched by the European Commission as part of the IPCEI (Important Projects of Common European Interest) initiative. Seven member states participate in it: Poland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Slovakia. The Commission expects that increasing hydrogen supplies will accelerate the realization of the European Green Deal. This includes the development of hydrogen infrastructure as an integral part of the European hydrogen strategy, contributing to achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Final decisions regarding the approval of funding under the program and its amount will be made at the national level.
“Polenergia is the only Polish company participating in the Hy2Infra program. This is a very important message for the market and our investors. The decision of the European Commission significantly enhances the project’s value. Renewable hydrogen, to be produced in part through H2Silesia, is a natural extension of Polenergia’s value chain. Hydrogen as a carrier of green energy can decisively accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels and the construction of a zero-emission economy. It is the fuel of the future,” comments Iwona Sierżęga, a member of the board of Polenergia SA.
“The construction of large-scale renewable hydrogen production facilities is a crucial step in the industrial decarbonization process. By generating hydrogen using renewable energy sources, we integrate energy with sectors for which electrification has been very challenging or impossible until now. Green hydrogen also allows for independence from imported energy carriers. This is an additional value for customers who are currently facing significant challenges associated with energy transformation,” says Emilia Makarewicz, a member of the board of Polenergia H2Silesia.