Rheinmetall, German Tech Firms to Build Synthetic Fuel Network for European Militaries

German defense company Rheinmetall has unveiled plans to build a network of synthetic fuel plants across Europe to help militaries in the region produce their own energy and cut reliance on imported oil.

The initiative, called Giga PtX, aims to install hundreds of compact, modular facilities capable of producing 5,000 to 7,000 tons (14.1 million to 19.8 million liters) of diesel, jet fuel, or marine fuel per site each year.

The group involves energy companies Sunfire, Greenlyte Carbon Technologies, and INERATEC, which will combine expertise to utilize renewable power and trapped carbon dioxide emissions to create “e-fuels” that burn cleaner than traditional fossil fuels.

Rheinmetall will serve as the main contractor, overseeing the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the sites.

“We have exactly the partners we need. We are prepared and can start immediately. We are literally ready to go in order to strengthen fuel resilience in Germany and Europe in the long term,” said Birgit Görtler, Rheinmetall’s vice president for hydrogen sales.

Critical for ‘War Readiness’

Under the project, Dresden-based Sunfire will provide electrolysers, or machines that use renewable electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, which will then be combined with captured carbon dioxide to produce synthetic fuel.

Greenlyte, headquartered in Essen, will provide systems that extract carbon directly from the air, while INERATEC in Karlsruhe will handle the conversion process that turns hydrogen and carbon into liquid fuel.

Rheinmetall said the project will make Europe’s warfighters more self-sufficient and better prepared for future energy shortages, particularly in the event of global supply disruptions or conflict.

“War readiness requires a resilient energy infrastructure,” Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger said.

“Maintaining fossil fuel supply chains will be challenging for European countries in the event of a defence situation. With the Giga PtX facilities, Rheinmetall and its partners are sending a strong signal of industrial transformation, climate protection and security resilience in Europe.”

The consortium noted that the construction of the first batch of plants could start soon, pending political and regulatory approval.