Metafuels secures a €1.92 million grant from the Netherlands to progress its e-SAF facility in Rotterdam.

      The Swiss startup's Turbe project at the Evos terminal in the Port of Rotterdam will be the inaugural commercial implementation of its aerobrew methanol-to-jet technology, serving as a model for large-scale e-SAF production throughout Europe. Metafuels, the Swiss company dedicated to developing synthetic sustainable aviation fuel, has received €1.92 million in grant funding from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency through its TSE Industry Studies, Hydrogen & Green Chemistry programme (GroenvermogenNL).

      This grant is allocated to Metafuels' Dutch subsidiary, Metafuels Nederland B.V., to further the development of the Turbe project, which is the company's first commercial e-SAF facility located at the Evos terminal in the Port of Rotterdam. The funding will support front-end engineering and design (FEED), securing permits and approvals, and preparing for commercial operations before a final investment decision (FID) is expected in mid-2026.

      Metafuels' primary technology, aerobrew, transforms renewable methanol into drop-in jet fuel through a methanol-to-jet process that the company claims results in up to 90% lower lifecycle emissions compared to traditional kerosene, without requiring any alterations to current aircraft or airport facilities. In December 2025, engineering and construction firm McDermott was awarded the FEED contract for the Turbe project. Initially, Turbe is set to produce 12,000 litres of e-SAF daily, with a subsequent phase aimed at increasing output tenfold to 120,000 litres per day.

      Production is slated to commence in 2030, coinciding with when the EU ReFuelEU Aviation synthetic fuel sub-mandates take effect. The choice of Rotterdam is significant, as the Port of Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe, and the Evos terminal serves as a dedicated multimodal methanol hub and the continent's largest ethanol storage provider, thus providing Metafuels access to essential renewable methanol supply chains, logistical frameworks, and industrial know-how to ensure the project's feasibility. The Turbe facility aims to serve as a template for future large-scale e-SAF plants.

      The grant from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency supports the project's development phase leading up to the investment decision, but it does not finance construction. Metafuels has raised over $46 million to date, including a $24 million funding round led by UVC Partners announced in February 2026 (featuring Energy Impact Partners, Contrarian Ventures, RockCreek, Verve Ventures, and Fortescue Ventures), a $5 million grant from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, along with previous equity rounds.

      The company is based in Zurich, under the leadership of CEO Saurabh Kapoor. Metafuels also has a facility planned in Denmark (Pizol) and is in the process of preparing a demonstration plant at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland.