As BP begins the search for offtakers for its 100MW green hydrogen project at the Lingen refinery in Germany, the company appears to be recalibrating its low-carbon strategy—consolidating investments in continental Europe while pulling back from high-profile UK ventures.
Set to begin production in the second half of 2027, the Lingen plant is expected to generate up to 11,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually. The output will be used partly within BP’s own refining operations and partly supplied to industrial clients in the region, under contracts falling within the EU’s classification of renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO).
Lingen’s positioning is strategic. The facility is intended to connect to Germany’s forthcoming 9,040-kilometre hydrogen core network—a backbone of Europe’s cross-border hydrogen transport ambitions. This alignment with national infrastructure enhances the plant’s commercial attractiveness to regional buyers looking to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors.
Technology-wise, the project is underpinned by Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolysers supplied by Accelera, Cummins’ clean tech arm. Specifically, 20 HyLYZER-1000 units, each rated at 5MW, will form the heart of the electrolyser array—an endorsement of PEM’s flexibility and responsiveness under variable renewable energy inputs.
The Lingen project was among the 23 initiatives awarded funding through the EU’s Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) Hy2Infra program. In total, €4.3 billion was allocated across the projects, signalling EU intent to rapidly scale domestic green hydrogen capacity and decrease dependency on imported fossil fuels.
BP’s final investment decision (FID) on Lingen, taken in December 2023, came just weeks before it cancelled its HyGreen Teesside project in the UK. That green hydrogen facility, once central to Britain’s hydrogen strategy, was shelved in March 2024, marking a sharp reversal in the company’s UK ambitions. Further uncertainty surrounds H2Teesside, BP’s flagship 1.2GW blue hydrogen proposal, which is reportedly under review for either significant downsizing or full cancellation.
These retrenchments coincide with a broader strategic shift: BP now plans to increase annual oil and gas investments by 30% to $10 billion, while scaling back its previously stated renewables spending by over $5 billion. CEO Bernard Looney’s pivot toward “disciplined investment” in green energy reflects investor pressure to prioritize returns, especially in a high-interest rate environment where long-duration clean tech plays face more scrutiny.
The divergence between the European Union’s hydrogen investment climate and the UK’s more uncertain policy environment may have influenced BP’s shift in geography. While Germany and other EU states have accelerated regulatory alignment and cross-border infrastructure planning for hydrogen, the UK’s hydrogen business models remain under development, with protracted timelines for contract awards.
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