The European Investment Bank has granted a USD 512.43 million loan to Austrian energy company OMV to support the construction of what will rank among Europe's largest green hydrogen production facilities, located in Bruck an der Leitha in Lower Austria.

A Major Financing Commitment for Industrial Decarbonization

The loan, announced, covers the bulk of the project's total investment of USD 683.24 million. The 140 MW facility is currently under construction and is scheduled to commence operations by the end of 2027. At that scale, it will become Austria's largest green hydrogen plant and place among the largest of its kind anywhere in Europe.

The EIB, which serves as the financing arm of the European Union and is owned by its 27 member states, made the commitment following a site visit during which EIB Vice-President Karl Nehammer outlined the institution's rationale for backing the project.

Nehammer described green hydrogen as a cornerstone of Europe's transition to a competitive, climate-neutral, and secure energy system, and said the investment would help decarbonize refining by replacing fossil-based hydrogen with renewable hydrogen. He also noted the facility would lay the foundation for future production of sustainable aviation fuels, supporting the EU's climate and energy security objectives.

Output, Emissions Impact, and Refinery Integration

Using renewable energy, OMV plans to produce up to 23,000 tons of green hydrogen per year at the Bruck an der Leitha site. The primary destination for that output will be OMV's Schwechat refinery, also located in Lower Austria, where the green hydrogen will be used to enhance the sustainability of fuel and chemical products manufactured at the facility.

OMV estimates the facility will enable an annual reduction of approximately 150,000 tons of carbon emissions, based on the company's internal calculations on planned annual hydrogen production.

That figure corresponds to approximately 10 percent of the Schwechat refinery's current direct emissions, representing a meaningful reduction in the industrial footprint of one of Austria's most significant energy infrastructure assets.

Reinhard Florey, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief Financial Officer of OMV, said the EIB's loan commitment was a strong signal of confidence in OMV's transformation strategy and in the company's ability to deliver large-scale projects that drive industrial decarbonization.

Florey said producing green hydrogen in Austria enables the company to increase the captive use of more sustainable energy in its production and for its innovative products.

Where This Project Fits Within OMV's Broader Strategy

The Bruck an der Leitha plant is one of several projects currently under execution as part of OMV Strategy 2030, which focuses on capturing market growth for renewable fuels and sustainable chemical feedstock. The company has set a production capacity target of approximately 900 kilotons by 2030.

Key assets already in operation include a co-processing plant and a 10 MW green hydrogen facility at the Schwechat refinery. Projects currently under execution, in addition to the 140 MW Austrian plant, include a Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil plant at the OMV Petrom Petrobrazi refinery in Romania, as well as additional green hydrogen projects of 20 MW and 35 MW capacity in Romania, both operated by OMV Petrom.

Together, these investments are positioned within OMV's broader ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. OMV holds a 51.2 percent stake in OMV Petrom and a 50 percent stake in Borouge International. In 2025, the company generated revenues of USD 27.33 billion and employed approximately 22,300 people worldwide.

EIB's Role in Europe's Green Hydrogen Push

The EIB's involvement in this project reflects the institution's wider mandate to support the European Union's climate and energy transition objectives. In 2025, the EIB Group signed USD 113.87 billion of new financing and advisory services for more than 870 projects spanning eight core priority areas, including climate action and the environment.

The bank's stated role extends beyond providing long-term loans for large infrastructure and includes crowding in private investment for high-risk innovative projects through instruments such as venture debt, venture capital, guarantees, and securitizations.

The loan to OMV represents one of the more substantial single commitments tied to green hydrogen infrastructure anywhere in Europe and signals continued institutional appetite for backing industrial-scale renewable energy projects as the continent advances its energy transition goals.

Austria's Hydrogen Revolution Is Moving Fast. Is Your Pipeline Moving With It?

Across Austria, hydrogen infrastructure is shifting from ambition to action, with gigawatt-scale electrolysers, cross-border pipeline corridors, and green hydrogen import terminals all advancing simultaneously. For developers, investors, and equipment suppliers, the challenge is no longer identifying the opportunity; it is keeping pace with the sheer volume and speed of project activity unfolding across the continent.

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