On the week of the 11th of May, the Green Mobility Magazine, together with the eFuel Alliance, brought together stakeholders from the transport, energy and industrial policy sectors, alongside members of the media, for a series of discussions in Brussels examining the opportunities and challenges linked to the development of eFuels and their potential role in transport decarbonisation.
The discussions commenced on Monday evening with a private dinner that brought together policymakers, industry representatives, trade associations, and journalists for an informal exchange on the future role of synthetic fuels in Europe’s transport transition.
The discussion continued on Tuesday morning at the Press Club Brussels Europe, where the Green Mobility Magazine and the eFuel Alliance hosted the public event “Unlocking the Potential of eFuels”.
The morning commenced with a presentation by Dr Tobias Block of the eFuel Alliance, who outlined the conclusions of the organisation’s recent study (pdf) conducted together with Porsche Consulting, examining the long-term market potential of eFuels in Europe and the industrial challenges associated with transport decarbonisation.
The study argued that, despite the rapid growth of battery electric mobility, internal combustion engines are expected to remain relevant across several transport segments through 2050, particularly in aviation and maritime. The analysis also highlighted the scale of the industrial transformation required to meet Europe’s climate objectives, including potential bottlenecks in battery supply chains, renewable electricity deployment, hydrogen infrastructure, and critical raw materials.
According to the analysis presented during the event, delays in the large-scale deployment of battery electric vehicles could result in substantially higher long-term demand for liquid fuels than currently anticipated under existing EU transition scenarios. In that context, the study argued that accelerating the scale-up of eFuel production could play an important complementary role in supporting climate objectives, particularly in sectors where electrification remains technically or economically more difficult.
The presentation was followed by a panel discussion featuring Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, Member of the European Parliament (France, S&D), Gustav Granberg of Ignis P2X, and Ralf Diemer of the eFuel Alliance.
From a project developer’s perspective, Gustav Granberg argued that the central challenge is no longer solely whether eFuels can contribute to transport decarbonisation, but whether Europe can develop production capacity, certification systems, investment frameworks and long-term demand signals rapidly enough to establish a viable market.
Granberg underlined that projects will struggle to reach a final investment decision without stronger long-term offtake certainty and predictable revenue streams, pointing in particular to the importance of quotas and mechanisms. He additionally highlighted grid access and electricity infrastructure as increasingly significant bottlenecks for industrial-scale projects.
The discussion also explored access to sustainable CO₂ sources, the need to develop carbon logistics infrastructure and cross-border recognition systems for green molecules and certificates across Europe. Panellists additionally stressed the need for faster permitting procedures and stronger strategic investment support if Europe wishes to accelerate industrial deployment.
More broadly, several interventions framed the discussion increasingly in terms of industrial resilience and strategic autonomy, rather than climate policy alone. Speakers noted that Europe will continue to require significant volumes of liquid fuels and energy molecules for aviation, shipping, heavy transport, and industry over the coming decades, raising the question of whether those fuels should primarily be produced domestically or imported from third countries.
Within that context, Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, a former French army reserve officer, argued that the defence sector and national ministries of defence could potentially play a stronger role as off-takers and buyers of last resort for synthetic aviation fuels (eSAF). The argument advanced during the discussion was that the military demand for jet fuel, which is also used for land transportation, combined with the scale and predictability of defence procurement, could help certain projects reach a final investment decision and thereby support the broader scale-up of synthetic fuel production capacities in Europe.
The discussion also touched on Europe’s broader energy security considerations and its dependence on imported fuels. Participants noted that the EU currently imports the overwhelming majority of its fossil fuels from third countries, while electricity generation remains largely domestic. Against the backdrop of continued geopolitical instability and disruptions affecting global energy markets, speakers argued that synthetic fuels could increasingly become part of a broader discussion on European industrial resilience and energy sovereignty.
The Green Mobility Magazine would like to sincerely thank the eFuel Alliance, all speakers and participants for contributing to what proved to be a highly informative and constructive exchange on the future of eFuels and transport decarbonisation in Europe.
The Green Mobility Magazine would also like to express its thanks to its Community Partners, the Airport Regions Council and the Brussels Sustainability Club, for their support of the Mobility Morning’s event.
