Czechia Takes First Steps Toward Commercial Green Hydrogen With New Napajedla Project

NAPAJEDLA, Czechia, August 25, 2026 — Czechia has taken a step toward commercial green hydrogen production with the launch of its first electrolyser producing zero-emission hydrogen for use in domestic industry and transport.

The electrolyser was launched by Solar Global in Napajedla in the Zlín region. The company, a leading Czech producer of photovoltaic power plants, uses renewable electricity from photovoltaic panels installed on the roof and walls of its headquarters, supplemented by a wind turbine, to produce green hydrogen.

Hydrogen produced through water electrolysis using electricity from renewable energy sources is classified as green hydrogen.

8,000 Kilograms of Hydrogen Production Annually

The Napajedla electrolyser, supported by battery storage, is expected to produce approximately 8,000 kilograms of zero-emission hydrogen per year.

According to Solar Global, this volume could allow a hydrogen-powered passenger car to travel approximately 800,000 kilometres, while a hydrogen-powered bus could travel around 80,000 kilometres.

Although Czechia's green hydrogen market remains in its early stages, Solar Global owner Vítězslav Skopal said companies with decarbonisation targets are already looking to hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels.

Solar Global also expects hydrogen buses to eventually refuel at the site. A hydrogen refuelling station for passenger cars and trucks is expected to be developed at the location within two years.

Hydrogen Emerges as an Energy Storage Solution

Solar Global's primary objective for the project is energy storage.

The facility includes a pressurised storage tank capable of holding 400 kilograms of hydrogen, which the company says is equivalent to approximately 13 MWh of large-scale battery storage capacity.

The system has an estimated potential to store around 246 MWh of photovoltaic energy annually, demonstrating how renewable electricity can be converted into hydrogen and stored for later use.

The electrolysis process will also generate zero-emission oxygen as a by-product, which could be used in industry, food processing and healthcare.

CZK 35 Million Project Investment

Solar Global invested approximately CZK 35 million in the Napajedla project. The investment was partly financed through a bank loan, while CZK 9 million was provided through a grant.

However, the company does not currently expect a near-term payback, reflecting the early stage of both the technology and the Czech green hydrogen market.

Solar Global plans to use the project to gain experience in green hydrogen production and strengthen its position as the market develops.

The company is already preparing a larger project in Kolín, where it plans to build a 9 MW photovoltaic power plant to supply a 1 MW electrolyser. The electrolyser would be approximately four times larger than the system in Napajedla.

Hydrogen Targets Hard-to-Abate Sectors

Green hydrogen is expected to play an increasingly important role in Czechia's efforts to decarbonise its energy system and wider economy.

In addition to providing long-term storage for renewable energy, hydrogen could help replace imported fossil fuels and reduce emissions in sectors where direct electrification remains difficult.

Potential applications include the chemical industry, metallurgy and heavy freight transport.

Martin Sedlák, Programme Director of the Modern Energy Association, said the Napajedla project demonstrates that green hydrogen can now be produced in Czechia on an industrial scale, following earlier pilot projects.

Czechia Targets 30,000 Tonnes of Green Hydrogen by 2030

According to Czech Environment Minister Petr Hladík, the recently approved Czech National Energy and Climate Plan envisages domestic green hydrogen production reaching approximately 30,000 tonnes per year by 2030, with a similar volume expected to be imported.

Although this would represent only a few percent of Czechia's overall energy mix, the government expects hydrogen use to increase significantly in both industry and transport.

Hladík also said green hydrogen could begin replacing natural gas between 2030 and 2040, particularly as demand grows across industrial and transport applications.

EU Pushes for 20 Million Tonnes of Green Hydrogen

Czechia's Napajedla project comes as the European Union accelerates the development of renewable hydrogen as part of its broader decarbonisation strategy.

The EU plans to produce 10 million tonnes of green hydrogen domestically by 2030 and import an additional 10 million tonnes.

The development of the Napajedla facility highlights the growing connection between renewable power generation, energy storage and green hydrogen.

While the economics of green hydrogen remain challenging at the current stage, projects such as Napajedla could provide valuable experience for scaling up electrolyser capacity and developing hydrogen infrastructure across Czechia and the wider European market.