Swiss aviation technology company Metafuels AG has announced that it has awarded a contract to global energy engineering and construction major McDermott International Ltd (McDermott) for front-end engineering and design (FEED) of its Turbe project, a first-of-a-kind synthetic sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF) production facility to be built at the Evos terminal in the Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Metafuels’ Turbe plant will be the first commercial deployment of its proprietary “aerobrew” methanol-to-jet (MtJ) technology, designed to produce drop-in e-SAF compatible with existing aircraft and infrastructure.
The facility will play a critical role in advancing scalable, cost-efficient aviation decarbonisation across Europe.
Selecting McDermott for this crucial engineering phase marks a defining moment in our journey toward scalable e-SAF production. With the implementation of our demonstration plant at PSI and Turbe advancing towards FID, we are steadily industrialising our aerobrew technology. Europe has set ambitious decarbonisation targets—and with project partners like McDermott and Evos, we are building the capacity needed to make those targets achievable, commented Saurabh Kapoor, CEO of Metafuels.
The FEED represents the final engineering stage prior to a final investment decision (FID).
Under the contract, McDermott will perform basic engineering and design services to define and optimise the technical specification of the plant, as well as cost estimating services.
The Turbe plant is a bold step toward decarbonizing aviation through the commercial deployment of Metafuels’ aerobrew advanced SAF technology. Our unrivaled front-end development capabilities, deep technical expertise, and proven delivery of full-cycle SAF solutions ensure flexibility while prioritizing implementation to bring the concept to fruition, said Rob Shaul, SVP of Low Carbon Solutions at McDermott.
The agreement marks a major step forward as Metafuels progresses from technology demonstration to industrial-scale deployment—a key milestone in its industrialization journey.
In 2025, Metafuels has achieved several important milestones:
- The Turbe e-SAF plant in Rotterdam entered its FEED phase, advancing towards FID.
- Metafuels’ 50 liters per day (L/d) methanol-to-jet demonstration plant has been installed at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Switzerland.
- The company continues to expand its European footprint, following the opening of its Dutch subsidiary company, Metafuels Nederland B.V.
The commencement of FEED for the Rotterdam facility is a critical technical milestone and a significant upfront investment decision, de-risking the project and moving it decisively towards FID.
These steps help ensure that Europe’s e-SAF targets are met with a reliable, cost-effective supply that is already in place.
Delivering affordable and scalable e-SAF
Metafuels focuses on the production of synthetic sustainable aviation fuel made via the e-methanol route, which uses renewable electricity as the primary energy source (e-SAF).
According to Metafuels, its differentiator is cost leadership, achieved through the ability to convert e-methanol into e-SAF with a significantly higher yield, ensuring a more efficient and cost-effective process.
Metafuels’ proprietary aerobrew can replace conventional kerosene regardless of the size, type of aircraft, and short-haul or long-haul flights.
The integration of its aerobrew process into the overall wire-to-wing e-SAF value chain can lead to up to 90 percent lower lifecycle carbon emissions compared to conventional kerosene.
Blueprint facility
The Turbe facility will serve as a blueprint for future large-scale e-SAF production aligned with EU and global mandates, including ReFuelEU Aviation and CORSIA, which call for a rapid increase in SAF blending from 2030 onward.
With its technology now moving into deployment, Metafuels is positioning itself as one of Europe’s leading SAF innovators, focused on cost leadership, high carbon efficiency, and readiness for large-scale commercial roll-out.
The company’s ongoing projects in Switzerland, Denmark, and the Netherlands form the backbone of a European e-SAF production network designed to scale in line with regulatory mandates and market demand through 2030 and beyond.
With e-SAF sub-mandates under ReFuelEU Aviation coming into force from 2030, Turbe is being developed explicitly to ensure commercial-scale e-SAF is available in time to meet those obligations.
