The Swiss startup Metafuels is set to commercially debut its aerobrew methanol-to-jet technology in the Turbe project at the Evos terminal, Port of Rotterdam, marking the first step toward large-scale e-SAF production across Europe.
Metafuels, a Swiss aviation tech firm creating synthetic sustainable aviation fuel, has received €1.92 million in grant funding from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency under the TSE Industry Studies, Hydrogen & Green Chemistry programme (GroenvermogenNL).
This grant is allocated to Metafuels’ Dutch subsidiary, Metafuels Nederland B.V., to advance the Turbe project—the company’s initial commercial e-SAF facility—situated at the Evos terminal in Rotterdam.
The funding supports front-end engineering and design (FEED), permitting and consents, and commercial preparations for a final investment decision (FID) expected by mid-2026.
Metafuels’ aerobrew technology transforms renewable methanol into drop-in jet fuel, purportedly reducing lifecycle emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional kerosene, without requiring changes to existing aircraft or airport systems.
In December 2025, McDermott was awarded FEED for the Turbe project. The initial phase aims to produce 12,000 litres of e-SAF daily, with a second phase increasing output to 120,000 litres. The production target aligns with the EU ReFuelEU Aviation synthetic fuel sub-mandates starting in 2030.
Selecting Rotterdam is strategic, as the Port is Europe’s largest and the Evos terminal is a multimodal methanol hub, the continent’s top ethanol storage provider, offering Metafuels access to essential renewable methanol supply chains, logistics, and industry expertise.
The Netherlands Enterprise Agency grant supports the development phase before the investment decision, not construction.
Metafuels’ total fundraising now exceeds $46 million, including a $24 million investment round led by UVC Partners in February 2026, contributions from Energy Impact Partners, Contrarian Ventures, RockCreek, Verve Ventures, and Fortescue Ventures, a $5 million grant from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, and previous equity rounds.
Metafuels is led from its Zurich headquarters by CEO Saurabh Kapoor and has plans for a Danish facility (Pizol) and a demonstration plant at Switzerland’s Paul Scherrer Institute.