Europe’s largest eFuel production plant goes into operation in Germany

Photo: Ineratec

The German cleantech company Ineratec officially inaugurated Era One June 3, a power-to-liquid plant in Frankfurt-Höchst for the production of eFuels and eChemicals that the firm said will usher in a new era of sustainable mobility.

The plant in is the largest of its kind in Europe, according to Ineratec, and will produce up to 2,500 metric tons of carbon-neutral eFuels annually.

This will make commercial-scale volumes of synthetic fuels available in Europe for the first time, the company stated, marking a step towards achieving the EU’s 2030 and 2050 climate targets.

Ineratec started operating the plant a few weeks ago.

The company said Era One shows that climate-neutral eFuels are ready for the market.

“With Era One, we offer a genuine solution to one of the biggest problems of our time—emissions in sectors that are hard to electrify, like aviation and shipping,” said Tim Böltken, co-founder and CEO of Ineratec, at the grand-opening ceremony attended by high-ranking guests from politics, industry and science. “Climate-neutral eFuels are not just technologically possible. Era One shows that they are also ready for the market. We are replacing fossil molecules with green molecules—and thereby making a decisive contribution to a climate-friendly future.”

Kaweh Mansoori, the minister of economic affairs for the state of Hesse, commented on the significance of the plant in Frankfurt.

“The opening of Era One marks a landmark milestone for an independent European energy supply,” Mansoori said. “It demonstrates the attractiveness of Hesse as a location for innovative companies. This project embodies the fusion of modern technology, ecological responsibility and the development of new, high-quality industries.”

The modular design of Ineratec’s plants makes it possible to quickly and efficiently expand production capacity, according to the company.

By 2030, Ineratec plans to increase its annual production several times over with additional projects.

This scaling is crucial for achieving regulatory requirements, such as the ReFuelEU aviation regulation, which sets binding quotas for sustainable aviation fuels.

Era One uses CO2 from biogenic sources and green hydrogen to produce synthetic crude oil, which is then processed into sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF), eDiesel and other products.

The two feedstocks for the new plant come directly from the Frankfurt-Höchst industrial park where it is located.

The CO2 comes from a biogas plant that recycles waste, and the hydrogen is a byproduct of chlorine production.

Ineratec eFuels are “drop-in ready,” meaning they can be used without any modifications to existing systems, such as aircraft engines.

Synthetic crude oil can be used not only to produce sustainable fuel but also base chemicals, such as in the production of sustainable plastics.

Thus, the company noted the technology also contributes to the sustainable transformation of the chemical industry.

Era One is being made possible in part by a 70-million-euro (USD$79.8 million) financing package consisting of 40-million euros (USD$45.6 million) in venture debt from the European Investment Bank and a 30-million-euro (USD$34.2 million) grant from Breakthrough Energy Catalyst.

The support of these two major investors underscores the project’s strategic importance for the decarbonization of sectors that are hard to electrify, according to Ineratec.

The Environmental Innovation Programme launched by Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment is also providing funding for the commercial implementation of Ineratec’s technological innovation.

Other investors in Ineratec include Piva Capital, HG Ventures, TDK Ventures, Copec Wind Ventures, RockCreek, Emerald, Samsung Ventures, Engie New Ventures, Safran Corporate Ventures and Honda.