Swiss aviation technology company Metafuels is to develop a new synthetic sustainable aviation fuel production plant in the Port of Rotterdam through a collaboration with liquid energy and chemicals storage company Evos. Deploying Metafuels’ proprietary aerobrew methanol-to-jet technology, the Rotterdam plant, named Turbe, is expected to initially produce 12,000 litres of e-SAF per day, with plans for a second phase to increase production tenfold to 120,000 litres per day. The company says its technology converts sustainably produced methanol into jet fuel with high energetic efficiency and ultra-high carbon conversion, resulting in a claimed reduction of lifecycle emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional jet fuel. The Evos Rotterdam terminal is a dedicated multimodal methanol hub and said to be the largest ethanol storage provider in Europe.
Zurich-based Metafuels claims to be one of Europe’s best-funded SAF startups, having raised $22 million in just two years, including a $5 million grant from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy.
“We have made excellent progress with our technology and this first-of-a-kind commercial plant represents a major step forward in its commercial deployment,” commented Saurabh Kapoor, CEO of Metafuels. “We are very excited about our cooperation with Evos as we work towards delivering the Turbe project.”
The company says key milestones have already been achieved in the development of the Turbe plant. The next phase for the project will be the launch of front-end engineering and design (FEED), with a final investment decision (FID) expected in mid-2026.
Metafuels’ aerobrew SAF plants are able to process bio-methanol or e-methanol interchangeably, allowing the production of bio-SAF or e-SAF, or both simultaneously, “in response to market signals,” it says. Bio-methanol can be produced, for example, from biological waste, while e-SAF uses renewable electricity and captured carbon to create synthetic fuels. Developed in conjunction with the Paul Scherrer Institut in Switzerland, the aerobrew process is based on a novel catalytic system for converting green methanol to SAF. Green methanol is produced from green hydrogen and renewably sourced carbon oxides.
The project aims to align with major European sustainability initiatives, such as ReFuelEU Aviation, and the adoption of the EU’s synthetic SAF sub-mandate that is set to begin at 1.2% from 2030, rising to 35% from 2050.
Evos was founded in 2019 and is owned by investment funds managed by long-term asset manager Igneo Infrastructure Partners, with a headcount of 700 employees. It operates a network of eight tank terminals located in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Malta and Spain. The Rotterdam terminal offers full connectivity across vessel, barge, truck and rail, with facilities to store renewable methanol that meets International Methanol Producers and Consumers Association specifications.
“With our robust infrastructure, utilities and operational expertise, we are poised to support the deployment of Metafuels’ sustainable aviation fuel project,” said Christiaan Kop, Managing Director at Evos Rotterdam.
Added Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of Port of Rotterdam: “We are delighted that Metafuels, as an innovative producer of e-SAF, has chosen Rotterdam for the development of a new production facility. We welcome their collaboration with Evos, allowing Metafuels to use Evos’ existing methanol infrastructure.”
Image: Render of the proposed Metafuels Turbe e-SAF production facility
