Orlen, a prominent energy company in Poland, has secured an impressive sum of over 1.7 billion zloty (€400 million) from EU pandemic recovery funds to further its hydrogen energy projects. Initially, these funds had faced obstacles due to concerns regarding judicial independence under the previous government, but were eventually released after a change in leadership to a more pro-EU stance. The grants provided to Orlen are intended to bolster clean hydrogen production and infrastructure development, in line with Poland's decarbonisation objectives and the EU's emphasis on sustainable energy. CEO Ireneusz Fąfara expressed that this funding will enable Orlen to expand its hydrogen production infrastructure and enhance domestic and European supply networks. Key initiatives such as Green H2 and Hydrogen Eagle will focus on producing clean hydrogen from renewable sources and municipal waste, with a specific focus on sectors like transport and energy. For instance, the Green H2 project involves a plant in Gdańsk equipped with a 100-megawatt electrolyser powered by renewables for refining operations. The Hydrogen Eagle initiative, launched in 2022, aims to establish nine hydrogen hubs across Poland, Czechia, and Slovakia, utilizing solar, wind, and waste-to-hydrogen technologies. Orlen's ambitious goal is to operate 111 refuelling stations by 2030, strategically distributing them with 57 in Poland, 28 in Czechia, and 26 in Slovakia, positioning the company as a leading regional player in the hydrogen sector.