OMV Petrom, the Romanian subsidiary of Austria’s OMV Group, officially announced on August 28, 2026 that it has expanded green hydrogen production capacity at its Petrobrazi refinery to a total of 55MW following delivery of a second 35MW electrolyzer. The green hydrogen is planned to be used for producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).
The newly delivered second electrolyzer is a 35MW facility comprising seven modules of 5MW each, which combined with the existing 20MW electrolyzer brings total green hydrogen production capacity to 55MW. Annual green hydrogen production is projected at approximately 8,000 tonnes. The electrolyzers are reported to be supplied by Germany’s Neuman & Esser, with construction and module assembly carried out by Kraftanlagen Romania. This green hydrogen facility is being pursued as part of an integrated SAF and HVO production program.
Total investment in the integrated SAF and HVO program is reported at €750 million, of which €560 million is allocated to the SAF and HVO production units and €190 million to the two green hydrogen facilities. SAF and HVO production capacity is planned at 250,000 tonnes per year, with startup targeted for 2028. The 35MW electrolyzer project is reported to have received approximately €29 million in grant funding through Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).
OMV Petrom is reported to have been converting the Petrobrazi refinery into a hub for SAF and HVO production in response to EU decarbonization policy and aviation fuel sustainability regulations such as ReFuelEU Aviation. The green hydrogen facility expansion is seen as a core element of this refinery upgrade strategy.
This green hydrogen electrolyzer expansion represents a notable example of European refiners converting existing refineries into SAF and HVO production hubs in response to the EU’s aviation fuel sustainability mandates. The selection of Germany’s Neuman & Esser as the electrolyzer supplier suggests that German equipment makers hold a strong position in the European green hydrogen equipment supply chain. The involvement of PNRR grant funding also illustrates how EU member states are actively supporting domestic green hydrogen and SAF projects with policy funding. While the 8,000-tonne annual green hydrogen production volume is modest in scale on its own, the approach of integrating green hydrogen and SAF production at an existing refinery site could become a benchmark for other European refiners. As SAF demand is expected to keep growing alongside decarbonization pressure on the aviation industry, the economics of this kind of integrated green hydrogen-SAF production model are likely to become a key industry focus going forward.
How the approximately 8,000 tonnes per year of green hydrogen is actually deployed into SAF and HVO production, and at what ratio and effect, is the first point to confirm. Whether the 250,000-tonne SAF and HVO capacity target for 2028 is achieved as planned is also worth watching. Whether OMV Petrom plans further electrolyzer expansions is another point of interest. Whether other European refiners pursue similar integrated green hydrogen-SAF projects as EU SAF mandates tighten also remains to be confirmed.