The companies mentioned in the title, mainly engaged in the fuel and petrochemicals business, are part of the PKN Orlen Group, which is one of the leading groups in the field of refinery and petrochemistry in Europe. The companies' values include environmental protection and ecological solutions. On Tuesday, 5 October 2021, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation, laying the cornerstone for mutual cooperation in the research and development of hydrogen as a suitable energy carrier, the wider industrial use of which opens up opportunities for the greening of industry and public mobility.

At the same time, this will also develop cooperation with the academic world in the field of education, research, and development in Slovakia. The potential on the side of the Technical University of Košice (TUKE) was presented by Dean Dr. h. c. prof. Ing. Michal Cehlár, PhD. and Mr. Ing. Karol Horanský, PhD. on behalf of FBERG, by Dean doc. Ing. Iveta Vasková, PhD. on behalf of FMMR, by Dean Dr. h. c. mult. prof. Ing. Jozef Živčák, PhD., MPH on behalf of SJF, and by doc. Ing. Rudolf Andoga, PhD. on behalf of LF.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Slovakia J.E. Krzysztof Strzałka also participated in this working meeting.

“Our group is very active in the field of hydrogen mobility.And because we consider ourselves to be a major player in the wholesale and retail segments on the Slovak market, we also feel co-responsibility for its development. We want to participate in the introduction of hydrogen mobility and at the same time develop other possibilities of using the potential that this element holds,” said Tomasz Wiatrak, CEO of ORLEN Unipetrol Group, adding: “We are on the path of developing new technologies with the goal of emission neutrality of our business by 2050 at the latest. I am glad to say that we have found the Technical University of Košice to be an ideal partner for our intentions.”

According to the development strategy recently published by the ORLEN Unipetrol Group, it wants to build at least 24 hydrogen stations and one hydrogen distribution terminal in Slovakia by 2030.

“We welcome ORLEN Unipetrol Group's interest to participate in academic research and development of the future use of hydrogen. We expect scientific cooperation and exchange of information, especially in the field of emission reduction, large-scale storage, transportation and distribution, and possibly in technical drilling,” said Dr. h. c. prof. h. c. prof. Ing. Stanislav Kmet, DrSc., Rector of TUKE.