Fuels of the Future

At the international specialist congress in Berlin on January 19 and 20, numerous scientists from the InnoFuels, Refineries for Future (Ref4FU) and reFuels renewable fuels projects will present current research results, trends and practical impulses relating to climate-neutral fuels. An expert from the DBFZ will provide an impulse for the ramp-up by 2050, while young talents from KIT will present innovative approaches to PtL production and new refinery processes. Other contributions will focus on costs, market dynamics, international partnerships and the transfer of research into industrial applications. The conference will show where renewable fuels are heading in the coming years. It is well worth a visit!

4PtL/CENA

In order for CO₂ to be used as a resource for the industrial production of synthetic kerosene in the future, functioning value chains are needed – from supply and capture to transport and processing to application in power-to-liquid processes. These are precisely the issues that will be addressed at the specialist event on February 24, 2026, in Frankfurt. The event is being organized by the Carbon4PtL project in cooperation with InnoFuels and will bring together experts from politics, administration, industry, and research to exchange experiences and discuss joint approaches to establishing sustainable CO₂ value chains.

Liquid drop-in biofuels and innovative additives are considered promising solutions in the shipping industry, but bring with them numerous technical, economic and regulatory issues. To shed light on these together with you, we invite you to the InnoFuels Symposium on April 21, 2026 in Rostock. The symposium is being organized by the LKV Rostock and the Research Center for Internal Combustion Engines and Thermodynamics Rostock (FVTR). Representatives from authorities, fuel manufacturers, engine and component producers as well as users from the field will provide insights along the entire value chain. Companies such as Everllence, Infineum, Finco and Hapag-Lloyd will report on practical experience, current developments and future challenges.

A new short film about InnoFuels is ready! It focuses on the innovation focus area of aviation and shows the challenges, goals and tasks that the team deals with on a daily basis. The film makes it clear how multifaceted the work in this focus area is: In addition to technological issues, the cooperation between different players along the value chain is also highlighted. In just two minutes, it becomes clear what contribution the aviation team makes to the overall goal of the InnoFuels project.

We are delighted to present the latest issue of our InnoFuels newsletter!In this issue, we look back on exciting developments of the last few months, including insights into past events and current projects - from practice-oriented workshops to international formats.

You will also find an outlook on upcoming events in 2026 and an overview of our latest publications. A special highlight is our short film, which vividly illustrates InnoFuels' work in the field of renewable aviation fuels.

To what extent do the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production and use of fuels from fossil and renewable sources differ? A new compilation of literature from the InnoFuels project (innovation focus on road and rail) provides a compact overview of current findings and methodological approaches. The focus is on central terms and methods of GHG balancing, in particular the life cycle assessment methodology according to ISO 14040/44 and its application within the framework of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). The overview is supplemented by exemplary emission values from our own calculations and the RED, which illustrate important influencing factors and sensitivities.

InnoFuels

EU airlines are facing a double challenge: they need to significantly reduce their CO₂-emissions by 2050 - and at the same time remain internationally competitive. A new InnoFuels study shows how an aviation climate club can help. Three organizational models were examined - broker, management and invest model. The management model, which coordinates cooperation, steers the market for sustainable aviation fuels and compensates for competitive disadvantages, is favored. In short: together instead of alone - and a decisive step towards more climate-friendly aviation. The InnoFuels study thus provides an important impetus for the path to CO₂-neutral aviation by 2050.

IKFM/KIT

At NUFAM in Karlsruhe, everything at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) stand revolved around the future of sustainable fuels. With the InnoFuels, reFuels and REF4FU projects, visitors were able to discover how electricity-based and advanced biofuels are finding their way into practice - exciting for research, companies and politics alike. KIT was also present on stage: specialist presentations and a lively panel discussion focused on opportunities, challenges and concrete solutions for climate-friendly mobility. With these contributions, InnoFuels was able to successfully showcase its role as a platform for research, networking and transfer in the field of sustainable fuels at NUFAM.

At the beginning of August, Baden-Württemberg State Secretaries Florian Haßler and Patrick Rapp visited the Ultramarin filling station in Kressbronn. As part of a state project, the regenerative fuel HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) is being offered there for private ships - with a proven greenhouse gas reduction of 87%. This is made possible by the conversion of the marine filling stations to reFuels and the digital connection to fuel data, implemented in cooperation with Bosch. Even if InnoFuels is not directly involved here, such pilot projects are important signposts: they show how technology, politics and practice can work together to massively reduce CO₂ emissions.