DLR receives funding for e-fuels facility

E-Fuels DLR Receives Funding for Operating its Research Facility for E-Fuels

2025-12-05 From Sven Prawitz | Translated by AI 1 min Reading Time

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) has received funding from the Federal Ministry of Transport for operating its e-fuels facility. The funds secure research in Leuna (Germany) until 2035.

With the Power-to-Liquid fuels technology platform, DLR aims to optimize electricity-based fuels as well as further develop technologies and processes for their industrial production.(Image: DLR) — With the Power-to-Liquid fuels technology platform, DLR aims to optimize electricity-based fuels as well as further develop technologies and processes for their industrial production.
(Image: DLR)

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is receiving 157 million euros (approx. 182 million USD) from the Federal Ministry of Transport for operating the Power-to-Liquid Fuels (TPP) technology platform. Federal Minister of Transport Patrick Schnieder handed over the funding notification to DLR on November 25, 2025, in Berlin. According to DLR, the funds secure the research and testing operations of the facility from 2028 to 2035.

With the TPP, DLR is currently constructing the world's largest research facility in Leuna to improve electricity-based fuels (so-called e-fuels). The goal is to further develop processes for their industrial production. Completion is planned for 2027, with research operations set to begin in 2028.

Handover of the funding notification: (from left to right) Manfred Aigner, DLR Fuels Representative, Reiner Haseloff, Minister President of the State of Saxony-Anhalt, Patrick Schnieder, Federal Minister of Transport, Meike Jipp, DLR Executive Board Member for Energy and Transport, Karsten Lemmer, DLR Board Member responsible for Innovation, Transfer, and Scientific Infrastructures.(Image: BMV|Woithe) — Handover of the funding notification: (from left to right) Manfred Aigner, DLR Fuels Representative, Reiner Haseloff, Minister President of the State of Saxony-Anhalt, Patrick Schnieder, Federal Minister of Transport, Meike Jipp, DLR Executive Board Member for Energy and Transport, Karsten Lemmer, DLR Board Member responsible for Innovation, Transfer, and Scientific Infrastructures.
(Image: BMV|Woithe)

Rapid upscaling necessary

The facility operates in campaign mode: individual process steps as well as the entire process chain are tested and improved under industrial conditions. With this, DLR aims to strengthen the transfer from research to industry. Electricity-based fuels are intended to make aviation, shipping, and heavy-duty transport more climate-friendly.

The Federal Ministry of Transport had already provided nearly 5.5 million euros (approx. 6.5 million USD) for planning in 2023. In 2024, 130 million euros (approx. 150 million USD) followed for the construction of the facility at the Leuna chemical site.

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Date: 08.12.2025

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