Chimcomplex, SAPE and ELSA Industry are the only companies in Romania that have included hydrogen projects among those listed by the European Alliance for Clean Hydrogen. Established by the European Union in 2020, the Alliance has recently presented a list of more than 750 projects that European industry is preparing for the widespread use of hydrogen in Europe. After one of our readers reacted to our initial article, we have identified the projects and companies through which Romania makes it on the list.
Under the name “Green Complex”, Chimcomplex appears in this list with three types of actions: hydrogen production, hydrogen as feedstock for the chemical industry and CHP projects.
Controlled by Ștefan Vuza, the Chimcomplex group owns the Oltchim (Vâlcea) and Borzești (Bacău) platforms, has over 2,000 employees and recently launched a strategic plan for the period 2021-2030. It envisages organizing the group into 8 divisions, including the Green Division, which specializes in the production of green chemicals, green energy and hydrogen. Chimcomplex is the largest exporter in Romanian chemistry and about 60% of its production goes to export.
The most well-known project is Green Hydrogen @ Blue Danube, developed by 15 companies, with the aim of developing a trans-European value chain for green hydrogen. Partners include Verbund (Renewable Energy Producer, Austria), Siemens (Supplier of Electrolysis Technology, Austria and Germany), Bosch (Hydrogen Consumer, Germany), Agrana (Hydrogen Consumer, Austria), DB Schenker (Hydrogen Consumer, Germany). Romanian Hidroelectrica is one of the partners, as a co-investor in renewable energy and hydrogen production in Romania.
Societatea de Administrare a Participațiilor în Energie SA – SAPE SA is also listed with involvement in hydrogen production in three regions of Romania (South-East, South Muntenia and South-West Oltenia) and with 2024 as a deadline. An Austrian company – ILF Consulting Engineers Austria GmbH aims to be part of a Green Hydrogen from Abandoned Oil Wells project.
Finally, another project is proposed by ELSA Industry, an engineering and production start-up based in Bucharest, which aims to develop clean hydrogen-powered electric aircraft and associated refueling infrastructure.
The list of the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance is a benchmark for the size and dynamism of the European hydrogen industry. For the time being, we are talking about very heterogeneous projects, in different stages of maturity, with difficult to estimate chances to be completed.