Industrial decarbonization, refinery energy efficiency, and scalable hydrogen logistics remain central pillars in the ongoing transition of global energy infrastructures. Aligning with its "Our Energy for the Future" strategy, Turkey’s refining major Tüpraş continues to expand its international R&D footprint. The company is actively participating in the HERMES (Hydrogen Efficient Purification Using Membranes in Industrial Gas Streams) initiative, funded under the European Union’s Horizon Europe Clean Hydrogen Partnership.
Initiated in 2025 with seven strategic stakeholders across four countries, the HERMES framework aims to develop advanced membrane filtration systems capable of extracting and purifying hydrogen from complex industrial gas flows at high yields. To benchmark operational durability, two field prototypes will be deployed in Italy and Turkey. Tüpraş will host pilot testing routines at its İzmit Refinery, generating operational datasets on hydrogen recovery rates, thermodynamic energy balance, and stream-purification efficiencies across refining loops.
Operational Synergies and Industrial Decarbonization
Outlining the technological parameters and the broader industrial roadmap, Tüpraş Vice President for Technical Affairs Murat Şimşek noted:
Through the R&D projects carried out under our Strategic Transition Plan, we develop new technologies while working toward the goal of creating value for the future of the energy sector. With the HERMES Project to be tested at our İzmit Refinery, we aim to strengthen our technical know-how regarding innovative hydrogen purification solutions and contribute to the development of advanced technologies. Thus, we will lead the expansion of clean hydrogen, a pioneering technology for industrial decarbonization and energy efficiency, across our sector.
Following successful field validations of operational performance and energy balance parameters, Tüpraş plans to scale and integrate these membrane-based hydrogen recovery configurations across its broader refining footprint.
