Producing and using synthetic fuels

The renewed interest in e-fuels stems from the climate emergency and the energy transition, as well as the limitations of current low-carbon solutions and the challenges associated with renewable energy.

• The Limits of Battery-Powered Electrification: Batteries are the ideal solution for passenger cars and light-duty vehicles. However, they face physical and economic limitations for certain applications, such as air travel (batteries currently lack the energy density required for long-haul flights) and maritime transport (the weight and volume of the batteries needed to cross oceans).

• The search for complementary solutions: e-fuels are viewed as a complement to electrification, not as a competitor. They serve as a "transitional" or "niche" solution for sectors where electrification is difficult.

• The challenge of storing renewable energy: the massive expansion of wind and solar power raises the question of how to store excess electricity. Producing green hydrogen and then e-fuels is a solution for converting and storing this energy in a liquid form that is easily transportable and has high energy density.

This fact sheet summarizes the key aspects of synthetic fuels, from current challenges to implementation, including the regulatory framework and best practices to ensure a project’s success.