A consortium led by the Institut de Recerca en Energia de Catalunya (IREC), a Spain-based energy research institute, has developed and validated a process to produce sustainable maritime fuels using wastewater and CO₂ generated during treatment.
The SUPORT project brought together the Port of Barcelona, Aigües de Barcelona, Cetaqua and CIMNE to demonstrate the technical feasibility of producing synthetic fuels from waste streams for hard-to-electrify sectors such as shipping.
The partners said the process integrates co-electrolysis and Fischer–Tropsch synthesis technologies developed at IREC, alongside biological hydrogen production from wastewater treatment plants. Analysis carried out within the project indicates the technology could be viable and scalable, while the Port of Barcelona assessed potential demand for such fuels in maritime transport.
Lucile Bernadet, project coordinator at IREC, said: “SUPORT demonstrates that it is possible to provide real solutions for the decarbonisation of sectors such as maritime transport, where direct electrification is not feasible,” adding that “in addition, these fuels can be used in other types of engines, such as trucks. We believe this is a key step towards accelerating the energy transition.”
The resulting synthetic fuel is compatible with conventional marine fuels and can be blended to reduce emissions. Daniel Ruiz, Head of Sustainable Fuels at the Port of Barcelona, said: “The SUPORT project has enabled laboratory-scale testing of a new sustainable fuel production technology that can help advance the decarbonisation of the maritime sector,” adding that “the next challenge is to scale this technology to an industrial level in order to expand the supply of zero-emission fuels that help decarbonise the entire logistics chain, both maritime and land-based.”
