INERATEC Opens ERA ONE: Europe's Largest Production Plant for e-Fuels Goes into Operation in Frankfurt

The German cleantech company INERATEC today officially opened ERA ONE - a power-to-liquid plant for the production of e-fuels and e-chemicals that heralds a new era for sustainable mobility. The plant in Frankfurt-Höchst is the largest of its kind in Europe and will produce up to 2,500 tons of CO₂-neutral e-fuels per year. This means that commercial quantities of synthetic fuels will be available in Europe for the first time - a decisive step towards achieving the EU climate targets for 2030 and 2050. INERATEC started operations a few weeks ago. ERA ONE is made possible in part by a €70 million financing package consisting of €40 million in venture debt from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and a €30 million grant from Breakthrough Energy Catalyst. The support of these two major investors underlines the strategic importance of the project for the decarbonization of hard-to-electrify sectors.

INERATEC's modular plant design enables a fast and efficient expansion of production capacities. By 2030, the company plans to multiply annual production through further projects. This scaling is crucial for meeting regulatory requirements such as the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation, which sets binding quotas for sustainable aviation fuels.

Synthetic fuels from CO2 and hydrogen

ERA ONE uses CO₂ from biogenic sources and green hydrogen to produce synthetic crude oil. This is further processed into sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF), e-diesel and other products. The two raw materials for the new plant in Frankfurt-Höchst come directly from the industrial park: the CO2 comes from a biogas plant that recycles waste, while the hydrogen is a by-product of chlorine production. INERATEC e-fuels are “drop-in ready”, meaning they can be used without modifications to existing systems such as aircraft engines. In addition to sustainable fuels, the synthetic crude oil can also be used as a base chemical, for example for the production of sustainable plastics. The technology therefore also serves the sustainable transformation of the chemical industry.

"With ERA ONE, we are offering a real solution to one of the biggest problems of our time: reducing emissions in sectors that are difficult to electrify, such as aviation and shipping. Climate-neutral e-fuels are not only technologically possible. ERA ONE shows that they are also ready for the market. We are replacing fossil molecules with green molecules and thus making a decisive contribution to a climate-friendly future," explained Dr. Tim Böltken, CEO of INERATEC.

“The opening of ERA ONE marks a pioneering milestone for an independent European energy supply and shows how attractive Hesse is as an industrial location for innovative companies,” commented Hesse's Minister of Economic Affairs Kaweh Mansoori.