OMV, Austria’s integrated energy, fuels, and chemicals company, and Masdar, a global clean energy leader, have signed a binding agreement to establish a joint venture for the financing, construction, and operation of a 140 MW green hydrogen electrolyser plant in Bruck an der Leitha, Austria.
The landmark project will be one of Europe’s largest green hydrogen production facilities and marks a major step in OMV’s commitment to decarbonising its Schwechat refinery and accelerating energy transformation. Construction of the facility began in September 2025, with operational commencement expected in 2027.
Joint Venture Structure and Responsibilities
The joint venture will be majority-owned by OMV, with Masdar holding a 49% stake. The partnership combines OMV’s strategic leadership under its integrated Fuels and Chemicals business with Masdar’s commercial, financial, and technical expertise in developing and operating clean energy projects worldwide. OMV, which already operates a 10 MW electrolyser plant for green hydrogen in Schwechat, will procure renewable electricity for production and own the green hydrogen produced.
The partnership establishes foundation for future strategic collaboration between OMV and Masdar to explore green hydrogen, synthetic sustainable aviation fuels, and synthetic chemicals production in both the UAE and Central and Northern Europe, following a Letter of Intent signed in April. The joint venture is anticipated to close in early 2026, conditional upon completion of final documentation, shareholders’ approvals, and regulatory approvals.
High-Level Endorsement and Signing
The binding agreement was signed at ADIPEC in the presence of H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE minister of industry and advanced technology and chairman of Masdar; H.E. Dr. Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer, Austria’s federal minister of economy, energy and tourism; Dr. Alfred Stern, chairman of the executive board and CEO of OMV; and Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar.
Leadership Statements
H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber stated that the UAE maintains longstanding commitment to working with partners to accelerate global energy systems transformation. He characterised the joint venture as uniting Masdar’s two decades of renewable energy leadership with OMV’s industrial capability, paving the way for future commercial opportunities across Europe. Dr. Al Jaber noted that the agreement underscores deep and growing collaboration between the UAE and Austria in powering growth for the information age.
H.E. Dr. Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer emphasised that securing jobs and prosperity in Austria requires standing firmly for open trade and building successful international partnerships. He stated that the strategic partnership between OMV and Masdar has brought one of the largest direct investments of recent years to Austria, with the joint construction of Europe’s fifth-largest hydrogen plant. Hattmannsdorfer characterised the project as strengthening Austria’s leading role in a key future technology, with the goal of making Austria Europe’s leading hydrogen hub whilst maintaining a strong, energy-intensive industrial base creating jobs and securing future prosperity.
Dr. Alfred Stern stated that green hydrogen represents a key element in OMV’s Strategy 2030 for decarbonising fuel and chemicals production. He characterised partnering with Masdar to develop one of Europe’s largest green hydrogen facilities as a significant step forward. Stern noted that the joint venture builds upon existing partnership by uniting deep technological expertise with shared vision for progressing towards climate-neutral future, serving as a cornerstone in transforming operations and accelerating Europe’s energy transition.
Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi stated that the landmark partnership marks an important step in expanding Masdar’s green hydrogen footprint in Europe and strengthening energy collaboration between the UAE and Austria. He noted that combining Masdar’s global expertise in developing and scaling clean energy projects with OMV’s strong industrial and technological capabilities will accelerate decarbonisation of hard-to-abate industries and advance development of a sustainable hydrogen economy in Europe.
Strategic Significance and Market Context
The 140 MW electrolyser plant represents substantial scale for green hydrogen production, positioning it among Europe’s largest facilities. The project addresses OMV’s objective of reducing carbon emissions at its Schwechat refinery through substitution of grey hydrogen produced from natural gas with green hydrogen produced from renewable electricity via electrolysis.
Refineries represent significant hydrogen consumers, using the gas for hydrocracking, hydrotreating, and desulfurisation processes. Replacing fossil fuel-derived hydrogen with green hydrogen reduces refinery carbon footprint whilst maintaining production capabilities, supporting decarbonisation of liquid fuels production.
OMV’s existing 10 MW electrolyser at Schwechat provides operational experience with green hydrogen production, with the 140 MW facility representing a fourteen-fold capacity increase demonstrating commercial-scale deployment. The phased approach enables technology validation at smaller scale before committing capital to larger installations.
Masdar’s involvement brings financing capabilities, project development expertise, and clean energy operational experience accumulated across global renewable energy portfolio. The company’s stated ambition to become a leading green hydrogen producer globally by 2030 positions the OMV partnership as a strategic element in European market entry and capacity building.
Broader Partnership Framework
The joint venture extends beyond the Austrian electrolyser project to encompass potential collaboration on synthetic sustainable aviation fuels and synthetic chemicals production across UAE and Central/Northern Europe. E-SAF production combines green hydrogen with captured CO₂ to synthesise jet fuel offering substantial lifecycle emissions reductions compared to conventional aviation fuel.
Synthetic chemicals production using green hydrogen as feedstock addresses emissions from chemical manufacturing, where hydrogen serves as both energy source and chemical building block. Geographic scope spanning UAE and Europe enables projects in both regions leveraging respective renewable energy resources and industrial infrastructure.
Timeline and Implementation
Construction commencement in September 2025 with 2027 operational target indicates approximately 18-month construction and commissioning period. The joint venture closing anticipated in early 2026 addresses corporate structuring, final agreements, and regulatory approvals preceding full project execution authority transfer to the joint venture entity.
The project demonstrates Austria’s positioning for hydrogen economy development, with governmental support reflected through ministerial participation in agreement signing and policy frameworks supporting green hydrogen investment. The facility contributes to European Union objectives for developing hydrogen infrastructure supporting industrial decarbonisation and energy security.
For more information visit www.masdar.ae
