In the update of the National Hydrogen Strategy, the target of 10 GW of electrolysis capacity for the production of green hydrogen by 2030 was confirmed [1]. However, according to the IEA's hydrogen project database as of October 2024, only around 120 MW – or 0.12 GW – are currently in operation [2].

If the capacities of the projects currently under construction or already financed are cumulated by the target year 2030, the capacity will increase to just over one GW according to current information. If the electrolysis projects for which a feasibility study has been carried out or a concept is available are also taken into account, a capacity of around 7 GW would be achieved, leaving a current coverage gap of 3 GW. However, the realisation of these projects is subject to great uncertainty, as no financing decision has yet been made. Furthermore, the analysis includes not only electrolysis projects that are labelled in the IEA database as being operated with electricity from renewable energy sources, but also those where the electricity source is labelled as ‘unknown’.

As things stand at present, the expansion of production capacity is therefore falling well short of the target. However, stronger momentum, as can already be seen for 2025, would reduce the coverage gap, as the projects currently under construction and financed will quadruple capacity this year to around 475 MW.

Other figures can be found here.
 

[1] Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) (Hg.) (2023): Fortschreibung Nationale Wasserstoffstrategie. NWS 2023, Berlin. https://www.bmwk.de/Redaktion/DE/Wasserstoff/Downloads/Fortschreibung.pdf, retrieved on 24.01.2025.

[2] International Energy Agency (IEA) (2023): Hydrogen Production and Infrastructure Projects Database. https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-product/hydrogen-production-and-infrastructure-projects-database, last updated on 10.04.2024, retrieved on 24.01.2025.