Germany’s federal minister for economic affairs presents grant notification to Brandenburg eSAF

Photo: Enertrag

Germany’s federal minister for economic affairs, Katherina Reiche, and Dietmar Woidke, the German state of Brandenburg’s minister-president, officially presented a grant-award letter May 12 for the “Brandenburg eSAF” project in Schwedt, marking what project developer Enertrag said is the endeavor’s most significant milestone to date.

The federal government and the state of Brandenburg are providing a total of 350-million euros (USD$410 million) in funding for the project.

At the PCK refinery, Enertrag and Zaffra are building Germany’s largest industrial-scale production facility for electro sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF).

The project, which was previously known as “Concrete Chemicals,” will operate under the name “Brandenburg eSAF.”

The facility, developed by renewable energy company Enertrag and eSAF specialist Zaffra, a joint venture between Danish clean energy technology firm Topsoe and South African chemicals and energy group Sasol, represents a total investment of more than 500-million euros (USD$585.7 million).

It is among the most advanced power-to-liquids (PtL) projects in Europe and is designed to cover approximately 25 percent of Germany’s national eSAF blending obligation under the EU’s ReFuelEU aviation regulation.

“What matters now is to permanently stabilize the energy supply at PCK and in the region, to strengthen growth potential in a targeted way, and to stimulate new investment,” Reiche said. “The Brandenburg eSAF project we are funding is a central pillar of this effort. It combines industrial strength with innovation, opens up new value chains and creates long-term prospects for employment, prosperity and energy security.”

Enertrag CEO Gunar Hering added, “Brandenburg eSAF brings together what belongs together—renewable energy from the region, Schwedt’s industrial heritage and clear political commitment from federal and state governments. The result is a fuel that makes aviation climate-neutral and secures skilled jobs in the Uckermark region.”

Zaffra CEO Jan Toschka said, “With today’s funding award, Germany is sending a clear signal—SAFs at industrial scale have a firm timeline and a concrete location. Zaffra provides the technology, Enertrag the renewable energy, and Schwedt the infrastructure. Together, we are creating a blueprint for the European eSAF industry here.”

Brandenburg eSAF will produce more than 30,000 tons of eSAF annually from 2030 at the PCK refinery in Schwedt.

The plant uses green hydrogen produced via electrolysis powered by renewable electricity, combined with biogenic CO2.

These feedstocks are converted into eSAF through Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process.

The resulting fuel delivers lifecycle greenhouse-gas reductions of more than 90 percent compared to conventional kerosene and is ASTM-certified for immediate use in existing aircraft.

The facility will account for roughly a quarter of Germany’s national share of the 2030 ReFuelEU aviation mandate, which foresees rising levels of eSAF to be supplied at European airports.

The 350-million-euro grant is split between the German federal government (245-million euros or USD$287 million) and the state of Brandenburg (104-million euros or USD$121.8 million) and constitutes the largest public funding award in Europe for a power-to-liquid project to date.

Beyond its climate contribution, Brandenburg eSAF directly addresses European energy security by reducing aviation’s dependence on imported fossil fuels.

By processing locally generated renewable electricity into liquid fuel on-site, the project strengthens domestic energy supply chains a priority that has gained renewed urgency given recent geopolitical instability.

The facility will create approximately 150 permanent skilled jobs at the Schwedt site and up to 1,500 construction-phase jobs in the wider region, reinforcing the PCK refinery’s role as an anchor of the local industrial economy as it transitions to a low-carbon model.

Zaffra is contributing its innovative G2L eFuels platform, which combines Sasol’s Fischer-Tropsch synthesis with Topsoe’s eREACT technology.

Enertrag is contributing its expertise in renewable energies for hydrogen electrolysis.

The required CO2 is supplied by LEIPA Georg Leinfelder, a paper manufacturer based in Schwedt.

The green hydrogen is largely sourced via the H2 core network (Gascade’s Flow pipeline).

This gives the project future scalability.

An additional on-site electrolysis plant supplements the hydrogen supply.

A final-investment decision (FID) is targeted for the end of 2027.

Engineering studies are currently underway, led by the Griesemann Group, following their appointment in April.

Production is scheduled to begin in 2030.