REUZE project: Engie, Infinium and ArcelorMittal are working together to produce e-fuel in Hauts-de-France.

E-fuel heralds a new era for maritime and air transport

Engie and Infinium have launched a project called Reuze to develop synthetic fuel production with ArcelorMittal Dunkirk’s factory for air and sea transport.

Using Infinium’s proprietary technology, Reuze will produce ultra-low-carbon e-fuel with 300,000 tonnes of CO2 captured at ArcelorMittal’s steel plant.
Combined with hydrogen produced by the high-power electroplating system to be built by Engie, molecules will be transformed into 100,000 tonnes of synthetic fuels: e-kerosene, e-diesel and naphtha.

The industrial process will also generate byproducts such as steam, to be injected back into ArcelorMittal’s plant; oxygen which will be made available to local industry; and water, which will be reused internally.

In December 2021, the Reuze project was selected to receive funding for development by ADEME. This very ambitious €500-billion project already has support from the Communité Urbaine de Dunkerque, the Grand Port Maritime de Dunkerque, the Hauts-de-France region and the French government.

Gaëtan Deckers, Reuze Project Manager explains: “This project is making significant inroads for the reduction of carbon emissions. It is not a pilot, with planned production of 2,500 barrels of synthetic fuels per day from commissioning in 2026.”

The final investment decision is expected at the end of 2023. The site will harness a workforce of 400 for two years before commissioning in 2026.

Engaging industry, energy and innovation leaders with support from public authorities

Despite improvements in fuel consumption, by 2050 aircraft emissions are expected to be 7 to 10 times higher than in 1990; and shipping emissions are expected to increase by 50% to 250%.

The European Parliament has made forceful resolutions to reduce emissions generated by the maritime and air transport industries. At the same time, major energy players are engaging in energy transition. E-fuels and biofuels are promising solutions.

Sébastien Arbola, Deputy Director-General of Engie. “Planning to launch business in 2026, the Reuze project bolsters Engie’s ambitious strategy to deploy 4 GW of green hydrogen production by 2030.”

Hauts-de-France is an energy transition pioneer. The region has been supporting REV 3, the project for the Third Industrial Revolution, since 2013. It also targets investment funds to develop energy efficiency projects. The Engie and Infinium project is another example of how this leading French industrial region is investing strongly in the sector.

“This is a pivotal moment for Infinium and e-fuels,” added Robert Schuetzle, Infinium CEO. “The plan to create this industrial facility in France demonstrates the immense commitment by global industrial leaders like Engie to reduce the carbon footprint of air, sea and road transport. This unique partnership using CO2 from ArcelorMittal’s steel production is also an excellent example of what can happen when industry, energy and technology leaders, supported by public authorities, join forces with a common objective.”