DeCarTrans milestone: Converting eMethanol into market-ready eFuels at industrial scale

Published on: May 15, 2026

1 Min. Reading time

The transition to sustainable mobility will require multiple pathways to decarbonize transport. While electrification continues to grow, renewable fuels remain an important option for applications where existing vehicle fleets and infrastructure are expected to play a long-term role.

A significant step in this direction has now been achieved within the DeCarTrans project coordinated by FEV.

Together with industry and research partners, Danish eMethanol produced at Solar Park Kassø was successfully converted into market-ready synthetic gasoline and further refined into different eFuel grades. The conversion took place at the pilot test plant of TU Bergakademie Freiberg using the CAC METHAFUEL® process.

In total, 86 tonnes of eMethanol were transformed into synthetic gasoline, demonstrating the practical viability of the Methanol-to-Gasoline (MtG) pathway under industrially relevant conditions.

Moving beyond pilot concepts

As the energy transition progresses, the discussion around eFuels is increasingly shifting from technology potential to implementation and scalability.

The DeCarTrans milestone provides evidence that renewable methanol can serve as a feedstock for producing drop-in fuels compatible with today’s vehicles and fuel infrastructure.

This is particularly relevant for sectors and markets where rapid fleet replacement is difficult or where existing infrastructure represents a significant investment.

Unlike many alternative solutions, synthetic gasoline produced through the Methanol-to-Gasoline pathway can be integrated into existing fuel supply chains without requiring modifications to vehicles or distribution systems.

Key results from the project

The project delivered several important findings:

Successful conversion of Danish eMethanol into synthetic gasoline
Production of multiple finished fuel grades, from standard gasoline (RON95 E10) to high-performance racing fuels
Demonstration of a technology pathway suitable for industrial-scale deployment
Compatibility with existing vehicle and infrastructure systems
Potential CO₂ reduction of approximately 90% compared with conventional fossil fuels

These results highlight the growing maturity of eFuel production technologies and their potential contribution to transport decarbonization.

Why eMethanol matters

Renewable methanol is increasingly gaining attention as an energy carrier and platform molecule within the Power-to-X ecosystem.

It can be produced from renewable electricity, hydrogen, and captured carbon dioxide, creating a flexible bridge between renewable energy generation and fuel production.

According to Dr.-Ing. Raul Tharmakulasingam, who manages the DeCarTrans project at FEV, the successful fuel production campaign confirms the technological maturity of the Methanol-to-Gasoline pathway and reinforces the role of eMethanol as an important link between renewable energy systems and practical transport applications.

Collaboration across industry and research

DeCarTrans demonstrates the importance of collaboration across the innovation ecosystem.

The consortium brings together expertise from engineering, fuel development, process technology, and research institutions to accelerate the development of sustainable fuels from renewable resources.

The project is funded under the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport Affairs’ (BMDV) initiative for the development of renewable fuels and includes partners from industry and academia across the entire value chain.

Looking ahead

The successful conversion of eMethanol into market-ready gasoline represents another step toward industrializing renewable fuel pathways.

While challenges around scale-up, feedstock availability, and economics remain important, DeCarTrans shows that the technological foundations for eMethanol-based eFuels are already in place.

As industries continue to pursue multiple pathways toward decarbonization, renewable fuels produced from green methanol could play an important role in reducing emissions from existing transport systems while leveraging established infrastructure.