Siemens Energy delivers first electrolyser units to OMV's 140-MW hydrogen plant

The first components for the electrolysis system at OMV AG's green hydrogen plant in Bruck an der Leitha, Austria have arrived on site, with the Austrian energy group announcing on Wednesday that installation of the plant's core technology is now beginning.

The delivery was reported by Renewables Now and keeps the 140-MW facility on course for completion by the end of 2027. The components were supplied by Siemens Energy, which holds the contract for technical plant engineering and is providing the electrolysers and other equipment for the facility. The electrolysis technology forms the heart of the hydrogen production process at the site.

Scale of the planned facility

Once operational, the plant is designed to produce up to 23,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year, powered by renewable electricity drawn from wind, solar and hydropower sources. OMV expects the facility to rank among the five largest green hydrogen production plants in Europe by capacity, a positioning that underlines the scale of the undertaking in the Austrian renewable hydrogen landscape.

Partners carrying the build

Responsibility for constructing the facility rests with Austrian construction company Strabag SE, working alongside Siemens Energy in its engineering and equipment supply role. The arrival of the first electrolyser components is directly connected to Siemens Energy's supply obligations and marks the point at which the plant's defining hardware begins to take physical form at the site.

Public financing behind the project

The development is supported by two public financing facilities. Austria's federal development bank, Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH (aws), has provided a €137.8 million debt facility, while the European Investment Bank (EIB) is contributing USD 504.2 million in financing. Together, these commitments form the public financial foundation for the project.

Continuation after Masdar's exit

OMV is advancing the project on its own following the withdrawal in September of UAE-based investor Masdar from a proposed joint venture that had been intended to finance, build and operate the facility. At the time of the withdrawal, OMV confirmed that neither the scope of the plant nor its completion schedule would change, and the receipt of the first electrolyser components is consistent with that confirmation, with installation proceeding on the previously communicated timeline.

Austria's position in European hydrogen production

The Bruck an der Leitha development forms part of Austria's broader effort to expand domestic renewable hydrogen output. Green hydrogen, produced with renewable electricity, is expected to help decarbonise industry and reduce dependence on fossil fuels in sectors where direct electrification is difficult to achieve.

With its 140-MW electrolyser capacity and planned annual output of up to 23,000 tonnes, the facility stands among the notable renewable hydrogen projects currently under construction in Europe, and its anticipated place among the continent's five largest plants of this kind reflects the ambition attached to it.

Work now moves to installation

With components on site and installation of the electrolysis system underway, the remaining phase of the project is structured around Strabag SE's construction role, Siemens Energy's engineering and equipment supply, and the financing from aws and the European Investment Bank. The end-of-2027 completion target remains unchanged, according to the company.