Poland produces grey hydrogen; green production lags despite strategic goals and investments.
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Poland currently produces about 1.3 million tons of hydrogen annually, ranking third in the EU after the Netherlands and Germany, and fifth globally. Most of this hydrogen is used in refineries for fuel production (desulfurization and processing heavy oil fractions into gasoline and oils) and in the chemical industry to make fertilizers (primarily ammonia), methanol, caprolactam, and oxo alcohols. However, most of this hydrogen comes from natural gas via steam reforming, which emits CO2, classifying it as grey hydrogen. To achieve climate neutrality, this grey hydrogen needs to be converted to green hydrogen through environmentally friendly production, mainly by electrolyzing water using renewable electricity. Green hydrogen has potential for many uses beyond its current applications, including cleaner energy (blending with natural gas), eco-friendly transport (fuel cell cars), heating, and steel production. The development of the hydrogen economy in Poland and Europe is progressing slowly; currently, only two small commercial electrolyzer installations produce a few hundred tons of green hydrogen yearly. While new investments are planned, such as by Orlen and future large-scale projects on Silesia, there is still a long way to meet the goals set by the Polish Hydrogen Strategy, which aims for 50 MW of low-emission hydrogen production next year and 2 GW by 2030. Challenges remain in coordinating government, industry, and research efforts. Despite slow progress, some targets have been met early, such as the development of numerous “hydrogen valleys” and a stable regulatory framework. While Polish cities are increasing their use of hydrogen buses, domestic green hydrogen production is not expected to meet demand, necessitating significant imports by 2030 and 2040. International efforts show varying ambitions; Lithuania plans large-scale production for local use and export, while Spain aims to leverage solar energy for cheap hydrogen exports across Europe.
