Hystar to supply 5MW electrolyser to Poland's Polenergia

Norwegian electrolyser company Hystar has signed a contract to deliver a 5MW electrolyser to Polish energy giant Polenergia as part of its H2HubNS project.

The project will be located at Polenergia’s Nowa Sarzyna Cogeneration Plant in Poland and includes a green hydrogen plant as well as two refuelling stations and associated infrastructure.

The landmark agreement between the two companies will be delivered in 2024 and includes a long-term maintenance contract.

According to a company statement, Hystar's PEM electrolysers are based on a patented design consisting of a membrane that is 90% thinner than competitors, which means they can produce up to 150% more green hydrogen than conventional designs.

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The agreement with Polenergia comes after Hystar announced a $26 million series B funding round in January 2023. The funding will be used to scale up and commercialise the technology and was sourced from investors such as Mitsubishi Corporation and Nippon Steel.

Hystar also recently opened its Innovation Centre in Høvik, Norway, consisting of in-house R&D facilities and laboratories designed to optimise their electrolyser manufacturing processes.

As of 2020, the Nowa Sarzyna Cogeneration Plant generated approximately 816GWh of electricity and produced 430,000GJ of heat for sale. The plant is located in an industrial area, in the direct vicinity of CIECH Sarzyna S.A. chemical plants, which is the offtaker for the heat and electricity.

Hydrogen in Poland

According to the International Trade Association, by 2050, Poland may become one of the most competitive producers of green hydrogen in the European Union. Although the use of hydrogen in transport and fuels is still marginal within the country, analysts from the Polish Economic Institute (PIE) have indicated that Poland could become a very competitive producer of green hydrogen over the next decade due to favourable economic and policy conditions.

In November 2021, the government adopted the Polish Hydrogen Strategy, which defines the action plan in the area of hydrogen technologies aimed at ensuring the country remains competitive while accelerating decarbonisation.