reFuels – Support the ramp-up of PtL fuels as effectively as possible with the reFuels action plan and secure off-take agreements

Fuels produced from renewable energies, such as synthetic fuels, advanced biofuels and hydrogen (reFuels), are an essential path towards climate-neutral mobility. In the reFuels project ‘Rethinking Fuels’, coordinated by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) with the participating companies and research institutions, fuel syntheses, extensive fleet tests and analyses in heavy goods, passenger and rail transport were successfully completed.

Under the umbrella of the state strategy Roadmap reFuels BW, numerous projects and activities, including the regulatory framework at federal and EU level, are being worked on and discussed. The implementation of the Roadmap reFuels for Baden-Württemberg is progressing, as evidenced by the current progress report by the ZSW. With the federally funded Innofuels platform, a nationwide network for promoting the ramp-up of climate-neutral fuels was launched in March 2023 on the initiative of the states of Baden-Württemberg and Hesse.

The further development of plants for the production of reFuels on an industrial scale (scaling) is crucial. In Germany, this is virtually uneconomical without further supporting measures due to EU regulations. The ramp-up of PtL fuels must be supported as much as possible and sales secured in order to meet ambitious quotas, such as those in air transport. At the same time, the transformation of the Oberrhein mineral oil refinery (MiRO) should be supported. The Ministry of Transport has therefore developed the reFuels action plan in collaboration with stakeholders from business, industry, associations and politics and coordinated it across departments. On 18 November 2025, this unified list of demands was presented in Brussels and discussed with COM representatives on 19 November.

In order for industry to invest in plants and for the fuels to be used in the country, the following demands must be implemented by the EU:

1. Transitional regulations on green electricity criteria for initial PtL plants should be redesigned in a practical manner to ensure economic viability.
2. The use of unavoidable and difficult-to-avoid CO2 emissions beyond 2040 should be permitted.
3. Regulations for co-processing should be simplified and flexible allocation of renewable shares to end products should be permitted.
4. Enable imports from non-EU countries of PtL fuels and intermediate products produced with industrial CO2
5. Create long-term planning security – establish a binding path to climate neutrality by 2050 at EU level with clear rules for residual emissions, quotas and sector-specific strategies
6. Guarantee regulatory protection for existing PtL plants
7. Reduce financial risks
8. Create reliable evidence of SAF-related emission reductions and introduce a book-and-claim system that is compatible with existing regulations.