HySCALE100 hydrogen project cancelled at Heide refinery

The HySCALE100 hydrogen project at the Heide refinery in Germany has been officially cancelled. The project, which aimed to produce green hydrogen on an industrial scale, was intended to feature electrolysis capacity of up to 2.1 gigawatts.

Federal and state governments had allocated nearly 900 million euros in funding for the initiative. The refinery cited a lack of planning security as a primary reason for the cancellation. This setback delays further plans for the production and storage of green hydrogen in the Dithmarschen district. While the project is defunct, the state will not lose the allocated funds as they were never disbursed.

The cancellation occurs as Germany struggles to meet its hydrogen expansion targets. As of March 2026, only 181 megawatts of electrolysis capacity were operational nationwide, significantly below the government's 2030 goal of 10,000 megawatts. Even if all currently announced projects are completed, estimates suggest Germany may only reach approximately 8,700 megawatts.