A Growing EU Network for Next-Generation Synthetic Fuels

METHCESFUEL is one of several projects funded under the Horizon Europe call HORIZON-CL5-2024-D3-02, dedicated to the development of next-generation synthetic renewable fuel technologies. Together, these projects form a European research cluster with a shared goal: turning CO₂ into clean, usable fuels. THUNDER (Grant No. 101235287), coordinated by Fundació EURECAT in Spain, is developing a modular system for producing e-methanol from CO₂ and water vapour. The process combines CO₂ capture, co-electrolysis, and advanced catalysts, and aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 75%. The project runs from October 2025 to September 2029. C2FUe-LS (Grant No. 101236115), coordinated by the Fundación para el Desarrollo de las Nuevas Tecnologías del Hidrógeno en Aragón in Spain, takes a different route. It uses cold plasma combined with bio- and chemocatalysts to convert CO₂ into clean fuels like ethanol for aviation and shipping. The project runs from October 2025 to September 2029. IsoPROPEL (Grant No. 101235103), coordinated by CSIC in Spain, develops renewable isopropanol (IPA) as a carbon-neutral e-fuel. Produced from CO₂ and green hydrogen, IPA can be used directly in next-generation fuel cells for inland waterway transport. The project runs from November 2025 to April 2029. Each project pursues a different technological pathway, but they all convert CO₂ into synthetic fuels compatible with existing infrastructure. METHCESFUEL’s unique contribution is its three-step methanol-based process, enhanced by thermochemical energy storage, which produces multiple drop-in fuels (methanol, methane, DME) from a single platform. The projects plan to collaborate through joint workshops, knowledge exchange, and clustering activities over the coming years, reinforcing Europe’s position in the global clean fuel transition.