E-Fuels from Frankfurt: New Large-Scale Plant by Ineratec – Hope or Wrong Path for Traffic?

The plant uses biogenic CO₂ from a nearby biogas plant and green hydrogen, which is produced as a byproduct of chlorine production. The resultant synthetic crude oil can be further processed into e-diesel, e-kerosene, or sustainable plastics. Ineratec plans to significantly increase production capacities by 2030 to meet, among other things, the requirements of the EU regulation "ReFuelEU Aviation," which stipulates binding quotas for sustainable aviation fuels.

The financing of the project was made possible by contributions from various investors, including a 40-million-euro loan from the European Investment Bank and another 30 million euros from Breakthrough Energy Catalyst.

For ships and airplanes – and also for cars?

While the development of e-fuels for aviation and shipping is considered promising, their use in the car sector is controversial. Critics point to the high energy demand and low efficiency. A study by the Fraunhofer Institute concludes that the direct electrification of cars is up to five times more efficient than the use of e-fuels. Additionally, the combustion of e-fuels still produces emissions like nitrogen oxides, although particle emissions may be lower.