Metafuels secures €1.92M Dutch grant for Rotterdam e-SAF plant
▼ Summary
– Metafuels has received a €1.92 million grant from the Netherlands to advance its first commercial e-SAF facility, the Turbe project, in Rotterdam.
– The funding will be used for engineering design, permitting, and commercial preparation ahead of a final investment decision targeted for mid-2026.
– The project will use Metafuels’ aerobrew technology to convert renewable methanol into jet fuel, aiming for up to 90% lower lifecycle emissions.
– The Turbe facility is designed to initially produce 12,000 liters of e-SAF per day, with production targeted to start in 2030.
– The Port of Rotterdam location provides critical access to renewable methanol supply chains and infrastructure, serving as a blueprint for future large-scale plants.
A Swiss aviation technology firm has secured a significant grant to advance Europe’s first commercial plant for producing synthetic sustainable aviation fuel from methanol. Metafuels has been awarded €1.92 million by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, specifically its GroenvermogenNL program, to support the development of its Turbe project. This facility, to be built at the Evos terminal in the Port of Rotterdam, represents the initial commercial deployment of the company’s proprietary aerobrew methanol-to-jet technology.
The grant, allocated to Metafuels’ Dutch subsidiary, will fund critical pre-construction activities. These include front-end engineering and design (FEED), securing permits, and commercial preparations leading up to a final investment decision (FID) anticipated in mid-2026. The engineering firm McDermott was contracted for the FEED work in December 2025. The plant is designed for an initial output of 12,000 liters of e-SAF daily, with a planned second phase aiming to boost production tenfold to 120,000 liters per day. Operations are targeted to commence in 2030, aligning with the start of the European Union’s ReFuelEU Aviation synthetic fuel mandates.
Metafuels’ core innovation, the aerobrew process, transforms renewable methanol into a fully compatible jet fuel. The company states this method can achieve up to 90% lower lifecycle emissions compared to conventional kerosene, requiring no changes to existing aircraft or airport fueling systems. The strategic choice of Rotterdam is central to the project’s viability. As Europe’s largest port and home to the continent’s biggest methanol hub at the Evos terminal, the location provides direct access to essential renewable methanol supply chains and established logistics infrastructure. The Turbe project is envisioned as a scalable blueprint for large-scale e-SAF production across the region.
This Dutch grant specifically supports the development phase preceding the construction investment. To date, Metafuels has raised over $46 million in total funding. This includes a $24 million equity round led by UVC Partners in February 2026, a $5 million grant from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, and earlier financing rounds. Headquartered in Zurich under CEO Saurabh Kapoor, the company is also developing a planned facility in Denmark and preparing a demonstration plant at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland.
(Source: The Next Web)