Zurich-based energy technology firm Metafuels, which develops sustainable aviation fuel through the Aerobrew process, has secured a €1.92 million grant from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency under the GroenvermogenNL programme.
- Founded in 2021 by Saurabh Kapoor, Leigh Hackett, and Ulrich Koss, Metafuels develops sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The company’s core technology, Aerobrew, converts renewable methanol into synthetic jet fuel (e-SAF) that is compatible with existing aircraft and airport infrastructure.
- The aerobrew process uses renewable feedstocks, including green hydrogen produced via water electrolysis powered by renewable electricity, and carbon sourced either from direct air capture or from biogenic biomass such as wood or miscanthus. Methanol produced from these inputs is then converted into synthetic jet fuel. The technology is designed for high carbon conversion efficiency, selectivity, and overall SAF yield.
- Metafuels is developing its first commercial-scale facility, the Turbe project in Rotterdam, which is progressing through front-end engineering and design, permitting, and commercial planning, with a target for production around 2030.
- The company has also installed a demonstration plant at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland to validate the aerobrew process. The approach aims to provide a scalable, cost-efficient route to synthetic aviation fuel while significantly reducing lifecycle carbon emissions compared to conventional jet fuel.
Details of the deal
- The €1.92 million Dutch grant will enable Metafuels to advance the Turbe project in Rotterdam by funding front-end engineering and design, permitting, and commercial development activities. It will support progress toward the project’s final investment decision and the first commercial-scale production of synthetic sustainable aviation fuel in Europe.
