BE-FUEL: Securing Belgium’s future supply of electricity‑based fuels and biofuels

Status: Ongoing Energy Logistics & transport

BE-FUEL addresses the urgent need for climate-neutral fuels in aviation, long-distance maritime transport and the petro-chemical industry, in line with the European Green Deal. The project brings together leading research centre VITO and industry partners DEME and EXMAR to assess technology and location options, total costs and infrastructure needs, and maps the risks of production moving abroad. Over 2.5 years, BE‑FUEL pinpoints which options pay off first, so Belgian industry and policymakers can move from uncertainty to investment.

Why BE-FUEL?

Electrifying jets and ocean liners isn’t realistic, they need climate‑neutral fuels. Belgium’s refinery and petrochemical cluster can provide them, if production is cost‑competitive and future‑proof.

BE‑FUEL (Belgian Future supply of Electricity-based fuels and biofuels) studies how Belgium can produce and use these climate‑neutral fuels in a cost‑effective and competitive way compared with other regions. The goal is to support smart investments and secure Belgium’s future supply.

Belgian fuel production faces intense competition and investment uncertainty, with closures increasing and limited climate investments in clean industrial production. BE-FUEL identifies cost-effective investment pathways for renewable fuels by analysing production costs, demand-side willingness-to-pay and international policies. The project also supports long-term security of energy supply by clarifying technology options and future infrastructure needs – including the potential role of synthetic or biofuels as electricity backup – so society can prepare accordingly.

Approach and work packages

BE-FUEL is structured into two main work packages:

WP1: Alternative fuels and production technologies
Assessment of alternative fuels and production technologies for shipping and aviation, including infrastructure and location-dependent costs.
WP2: System integration for Belgium
Integration of climate-neutral fuels into Belgium’s future energy system, combining economic, technological and policy analysis.

BE-FUEL builds on previous work such as the Hydrogen Import Coalition, PROCURA, TRILATE and PATHS2050, extending the scope to a broader range of synthetic and biofuels, and industrial relocation scenarios. Combining academic modelling with industrial expertise, the project aims to deliver actionable insights for policymakers and industry, and to support Belgium’s energy transition and security of supply.

VITO/EnergyVille’s contribution

VITO coordinates the consortium and leads on fundamental research, system integration and policy analysis. Core expertise includes energy system modeling (BE-TIMES), GIS-based resource mapping and scenario analysis.

VITO will:

use GIS models to evaluate location-specific fuel production costs by mapping biomass, carbon capture, storage and renewables,
integrate climate-neutral fuel technologies into Belgium’s energy system and assess impacts on industrial assets,
leverage insights from PATHS2050, TRILATE and PROCURA, ensuring state-of-the-art analysis – in close collaboration with DEME and EXMAR to bridge research with industry needs.