Exclusive: Swiss startup selects Rotterdam for green aviation fuel facility.

      Swiss tech startup Metafuels has announced its intention to establish its first commercial-scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant at the Port of Rotterdam.

      According to Metafuels' CEO Saurabh Kapoor, the facility named Turbe is a “significant advancement” in increasing SAF production. Last year, the startup also revealed plans to develop a similar plant in Denmark.

      “Europe has ambitious decarbonization goals, but without scalable and cost-effective SAF production, the aviation sector will struggle,” Kapoor stated.

      The Turbe facility will be constructed in partnership with liquid energy storage provider Evos and will be integrated into Evos’ existing terminal in Rotterdam, which provides the necessary infrastructure for storing large quantities of green methanol.

      Metafuels utilizes its “aerobrew” technology to transform renewable methanol into jet fuel, claiming it offers high energy efficiency and reduces life cycle emissions by up to 90% compared to traditional jet fuel. The produced SAF is “drop-in ready,” meaning no modifications to aircraft or airport infrastructure are required.

      Turbe will be capable of processing both bio-methanol, derived from biological waste, and e-methanol, produced using renewable energy and captured CO2. This adaptability allows Metafuels to adjust to changes in feedstock availability and regulatory requirements, as noted by the company.

      Kapoor anticipates that both the Netherlands and Denmark facilities will begin supplying fuel for commercial aircraft by 2028. However, prior to that, the company must secure accreditation for its aerobrew technology, which it aims to achieve by the end of this year.

      Metafuels plans for the new site to generate 12,000 liters of SAF daily during its initial phase, with aspirations to increase that production tenfold in the subsequent phase. For context, a Boeing 737 Max has a fuel tank capacity of approximately 26,000 liters, allowing for a range of about 6,570 km.

      Metafuels and the wider aviation industry still have a significant journey ahead to meet global and regional SAF adoption targets. In 2024, SAF constituted only 0.53% of total aircraft fuel consumption. The EU aims to increase that proportion to 70% by 2050, necessitating a substantial boost in the production of this greener fuel.