ORLEN invests in advanced electrolysers

Hystar’s patented design uses membranes up to ten times thinner than those in conventional units

ORLEN Venture Capital has invested in Hystar, a Norwegian manufacturer of high-efficiency proton-exchange-membrane (PEM) electrolysers for large-scale, zero-emission hydrogen production.

Hystar’s patented design uses membranes up to ten times thinner than those in conventional units, materially improving efficiency and lowering the cost of hydrogen generation. The technology dovetails with ORLEN’s programme to produce and deploy renewable hydrogen as part of the Group’s wider energy-transition strategy.

ORLEN VC’s investment in Hystar delivers critical technological support for our hydrogen portfolio. Hystar’s innovative platform is expected to enable annual production of 1.5 GW of high-efficiency membrane electrolysers as early as 2027. Thanks to the capital commitment, ORLEN Group gains access not only to the equipment, but also the know-how and the opportunity to cooperate, among other things, in the development of the technology and its implementation.

This solution can also be an important support in the attainment of ORLEN's strategic goals for the next decade, especially since by 2035 we want to use 350,000 tons of renewable and low-emission hydrogen annually – said Grzegorz Jóźwiak, Director of Hydrogen Technologies and Synthetic Fuels at ORLEN.

Hystar AS, a Norwegian manufacturer, produces 0.65 MW membrane stacks and turnkey 5 MW electrolysers certified to ISO 17268 standards. The units employ membranes that are 90 percent thinner than those found in conventional equipment, unlocking higher energy efficiency, scalable production and lowering the averaged cost of hydrogen.