October 2022: The implementation of the Polish Hydrogen Strategy, adopted by the Polish government in November 2021, naturally requires a number of legislative actions aimed at the creation of a stable regulatory environment. This should remove barriers to the development of the hydrogen market and encourage a gradual increase in investments in this sector.
April 2022: a framework agreement on the establishment of the Mazovian Hydrogen Valley was officially signed by 37 parties, including PKN ORLEN (the biggest Polish oil & gas company), state universities, research institutes and several companies, both private and state-owned, such as Siemens Energy, Solaris Bus & Coach, Toyota Motor Poland Company Ltd and Alstom Konstal. PKN ORLEN is set to play a leading role in this endeavor, which will be based on four main pillars, the most important of which is the development of the hydrogen value chain in the Mazovia region. Some examples of this hydrogen value chain include planned hydrogen hubs in Plock and Ostroleka, a prototype hydrogen locomotive and hydrogen filling stations. The other pillars are the implementation of research and development projects, creating systemic solutions for the education of specialized staff and conducting activities to support regulatory processes.
Source: Ministry of Climate and Environment
Secondary source in English: DignityNews
March 2022: several Polish municipalities (either directly or through municipally-owned public transport companies) are set to receive public subsidies (in the form of non-refundable co-financing and low-interest loans) for the purchase of a combined total of almost 120 hydrogen buses, according to the results of the two phases of the program “Green Public Transport” announced by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management [Polish: Narodowy Fundusz Ochrony Srodowiska i Gospodarki Wodnej]. Among the selected beneficiaries are the city of Chelm (26 hydrogen buses); the city of Poznań (25 hydrogen buses), Metropolis GZM (20 hydrogen buses) and the city of Walbrzych (20 hydrogen buses). The amount of the subsidies may reach up to PLN 100M (app. EUR 22M) with regard to the project planned by the city of Chelm.
Sources: Polish Press Agency, Clean Energy
Secondary sources in English: H2 Poland, gasHD
February 2022: the Lower Silesian Hydrogen Valley was officially established in the form of an association. The general business partner of the valley is KGHM Polska Miedz, one of the world’s leading copper and silver miners, and other members of the association include Toyota, Grupa Azoty (the biggest Polish chemical industry company), the state-owned Industrial Development Agency [Polish: Agencja Rozwoju Przemyslu], state universities and special economic zones in Legnica and Walbrzych. Lower Silesian Hydrogen Valley Association aims to support the development of the hydrogen economy, with particular emphasis on the Lower Silesian region and neighboring voivodeships (provinces).
Source: Ministry of Climate and Environment
Secondary source in English: Industrial Development Agency
November 2021: the final version of the Polish Hydrogen Strategy was officially adopted by the government. The six main objectives were slightly modified compared to the first version of the Strategy: (1) Implementation of hydrogen technologies in the power and heating industries, (2) Use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel for transportation, (3) Supporting the decarbonization of industry, (4) Hydrogen generation in new installations, (5) Efficient and safe transmission, distribution and storage of hydrogen, and (6) Creating a stable regulatory environment. The government aims to, among other things, reach 2 GW of installed capacity to produce hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives from low-carbon sources, processes and technologies, including in particular electrolyzer installations; develop a 1 MW P2G (power-to-gas) facility by 2025; put into operation 800-1000 hydrogen-driven buses by 2030; build app 32 hydrogen filling stations by 2025 and even commission hydrogen-powered ships by 2030. The implementation of the Strategy by 2025 is estimated to cost app. PLN 930 million (app. EUR 200 million), and by 2030 - PLN 9 billion (app. EUR 1,95 billion).
Source: Ministry of Climate and Environment
Secondary source in English: Executive Magazine
October 2021: the first hydrogen sectoral agreement in the EU was signed in Poland (“Sectoral Agreement for the Development of the Hydrogen Economy in Poland”). The agreement was signed by 138 entities, including public administration bodies, science and non-governmental organizations as well as entrepreneurs representing various sectors of the economy in which the production, transmission, storage and use of hydrogen will play an essential role in the future.
This “hydrogen sector deal” confirms that the development of the hydrogen economy is one of the Polish government’s top priorities, as it is seen as an opportunity for Polish companies to build a competitive advantage and create well-paid jobs. Its signatories aim to maximize the Polish contribution to the procurement chain to construct the hydrogen economy. For this purpose, the agreement includes an ambitious “local content” indicator at a minimum of 50% of the total value in 2030. The added value for the Polish economy from achieving this indicator is estimated to be in the range of EUR 343 - 870 million.
Source: Sectoral Agreement for the Development of Hydrogen in Poland
August/September 2021: Further letters of intent were signed to create hydrogen valleys in the Upper Silesia and Lower Silesia regions respectively.
Source: Letter of intent-establishment of the lower Silesian hydrogen valley signed
May 2021: A letter of intent between the government, local governments and universities, research institutes and several companies were signed regarding the creation of the Podkarpackie Hydrogen Valley. The signatories of this letter intend to develop hydrogen cells and produce hydrogen-powered buses in the valley.
Source: Poland Prime Minister - Lower Silesian Hydrogen Valley contributes to economy
February/March 2021: Polish Energy Policy 2040 (PEP2040) was adopted by the Polish government and published in the Official Gazette of the Polish government. PEP2040 identifies the development of a hydrogen market as one of the components of specific objective no. 4 (“Development of energy markets”). Moreover, the document draws attention several times, among other things, to the potential of hydrogen as an energy carrier and, of course, as a fuel used in transportation.
Source: Climate/energy Policy of Poland until 2040
January 2021: The draft “Polish Hydrogen Strategy 2030 (with an outlook until 2040)” was published by the Polish government. The Strategy identifies six major goals related to the hydrogen economy that is expected to be achieved in the coming years, namely: (1) Implementation of hydrogen technologies in the power industry, (2) Use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel for transportation, (3) Supporting the decarbonization of industry, (4) Hydrogen generation in new installations, (5) Efficient and safe transmission of hydrogen, and (6) Creating a stable regulatory environment. There are over 40 different activities provided for in the Strategy (e.g. the production of two thousand hydrogen-driven buses and the construction of over 6 GW electrolyzers and over 180 filling stations by 2030), all of which are aimed at implementing the above goals and developing the hydrogen economy and technologies in Poland.
The draft of the Polish Hydrogen Strategy 2030 was open for public consultation, and it closed in February 2021. The final version thereof is expected to be published by the fall of 2021.