Within 2025, Motor Oil's Head of Corporate Development, George Goumas, has set the date for the first hydrogen filling station available to end consumers. Speaking at the 4th OT Forum, Mr. Goumas noted that the group's focus is on green hydrogen, produced by electrolysis using green energy. In this regard, he said, the group is running the Ephyra project, for the construction of a 30 MW electrolysis plant at the refinery, and Triiris, which involves the creation of a hydrogen valley. 

BLUE MED

It will be recalled that Motor Oil, through Blue Med, is developing a complete investment plan with multiple projects, aiming to create a complete chain of production, distribution and use of renewable gas. In this context, it plans to invest €350 million. In addition to the above projects, there is also the construction of two service stations in the first phase through the REA project in Agioi Theodoroi and Akrata.

COOPERATION WITH PPC

At the same time, the company is collaborating with PPC, through the Hellenic Hydrogen consortium, for the hydrogen production plant in Amyndeon, with a capacity of 50 MW, in the first phase. Once demand increases, we expect the plant's capacity to reach up to 300 MW in the next steps.  The first phase of the project will see an investment of up to €70 million, with the CHP plant of PPC serving the district heating network of Western Macedonia as the primary customer. The next steps could involve adding hydrogen-powered road transport vehicles to the customer base, and in the future, the recipients of green hydrogen production could also include the DESFA gas transmission system, thereby supporting "virtual" hydrogen consumers.

WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT THE DESFA PROJECT

Motor Oil considers the more than €1.3 billion budget of the 2024-20233 NPSA development plan submitted to RAAEY as particularly high, calling for a review of investment costs by an independent consultant, joint financing of projects by neighbouring operators, and cost optimisation for supplying remote areas.

As stated in the relevant consultation, most of the costs relate to export capacity expansion in the northern NPSA. This emphasizes that Greek consumers shouldn't bear the entire cost of the investment. Furthermore, it emphasizes that neighbouring systems do not guarantee any corresponding import rights. Finally, it suggests that small-scale transport by tanker trucks could replace the high-pressure pipelines to Western Macedonia and Patras.