From test tube to barrel – the world’s first industrial plant producing CO2-neutral, electricity-based paraffin was officially opened recently in Werlte/Emsland. Operated by the climate protection organization atmosfair, synthetic aviation fuel is produced here from water, carbon dioxide (CO2) and renewable electricity; also known as Power to Liquid (PtL).

The Lufthansa Group is not only a partner in the pioneering project, but is also one of the first customers to purchase this sustainable, electricity-based paraffin. The company will purchase at least 25,000 litres of PtL fuel annually over the next five years and make it available to its customers. In this way, the Lufthansa Group is making a large and important contribution to the development of PtL production in Germany and promoting the use of PtL as a fuel.

To use the first quantities, Lufthansa Cargo and Kühne+Nagel have agreed on an exclusive partnership and committed themselves to the joint purchase of aviation fuel from Werlte.

Currently, these electricity-based fuels are still in the development stage towards industrial production, but in the long term they offer a decisive alternative to conventional paraffin or biogenic SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel), as they can be produced without availability limits.