€350 Million for Green Kerosene: What Remains Open in Schwedt

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents €350 Million for Green Kerosene: What Remains Open in Schwedt.

In May 2026, Federal Economics Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) stood in Schwedt and spoke of a flagship project: €350 million in funding were to flow to the PCK refinery site so that synthetic kerosene could be produced there for aviation. Five months later, precisely what was presented as a beacon project has become an open question. Following the end of a joint venture, it remains unclear how the plant will concretely proceed.

The plan was initially clear. The company Concrete Chemicals wanted to build a facility for E-SAF – that is, synthetic aviation fuel – on the refinery site in the Uckermark, in northeastern Brandenburg. The funding commitment of around €350 million was considered a central building block to secure the final investment decision once Brussels gives its approval.

What the Minister had announced in May

During her visit to Schwedt, Reiche personally announced the funding. The project was classified as a contribution to climate-neutral flying – and as an industrial signal for the site, which has been under pressure anyway following the loss of Russian oil supplies. The Economics Ministry explained in response to inquiries that the funding was tied to the condition that the participating companies meet the funding requirements. As long as that is the case, the funds could continue to flow.

In July 2026, rbb had already reported that the future of the project was uncertain. At the time, the Ministry said the funding was "not yet off the table" – provided the companies deliver the necessary requirements. A final decision on the construction of the plant had not been made at that point.

What has changed since then

What specifically happened between July and October 2026 is not reported in detail in the available sources. What is certain is that the joint venture through which the project was apparently organized has been terminated. As a result, the structure in which the funding could take effect is currently missing. In response to inquiries, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs stated, according to dpa reports, only:

The project is being pursued further.

That is a confirmation that the door has not been slammed shut – but no answer to who will build in the future, who is involved, and when the €350 million will actually be drawn down.

What this means for the Schwedt site

Schwedt has been a symbolic site for the energy transformation in eastern Germany for years. PCK refinery is majority-owned by Rosneft, which has politically charged the search for new owners and investors. An additional e-kerosene plant would have been another mainstay – independent of the conventional fuel business. With the joint venture model now falling away, it is unclear whether a new consortium partner will step in or whether Concrete Chemicals will have to shoulder the plant alone. Both options would be associated with their own risks and delays.

For you, this means: The funding commitment formally still exists, but the money has not been spent. As long as no new project carrier is determined, the plant remains a piece of paper – and the minister's flagship project, for now, an announcement.