Galetech Group has announced a multimillion-euro investment to establish Ireland’s first e-Fuels production and research facility, marking a significant step in the company’s long-term strategy to advance renewable, synthetic fuel technologies. The pilot-scale facility will support technical validation, process optimisation, and commercial-readiness studies for e-Fuel production in Ireland and international markets.

Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026, with planning permission already secured. The facility will be located adjacent to Galetech’s existing Edrans wind farm near Cootehill, Co. Cavan, enabling direct integration with renewable energy generation assets during testing.

The pilot plant is designed to produce 100% renewable synthetic fuels-including alternatives to petrol, diesel, and kerosene-using a combination of renewable electricity, water, and captured CO₂. Initial production volumes are expected to reach approximately 100 tonnes in the first operational year, with a maximum output capacity of 286 tonnes as systems scale.

Galetech’s investment is the first stage of a 15-year strategy to enter the e-Fuels market. The initiative includes the launch of a dedicated Galetech e-Fuels division and the recruitment of sector specialists to advance both technical development and commercial pathways.

The expansion into e-Fuels aligns with evolving EU regulatory mandates. Under new European requirements, transport sectors - including aviation and shipping - must use minimum thresholds of renewable e-Fuels by 2030, with higher adoption rates expected through 2050. For aviation alone, EU projections estimate nearly 64 billion tonnes of jet fuel consumption by 2030, creating a mandate for over half a billion tonnes of sustainable e-Fuel across Europe by the end of the decade.

Galetech plans to produce e-Fuels using renewable energy generated from wind and solar assets in regions with high-capacity factors. This approach supports the development of reliable, cost-competitive e-Fuel pathways.

In Ireland, the potential of large-scale offshore wind generation offers a strong foundation for future e-Fuel production. These fuels can be transported to global markets and used within existing combustion engines, providing a viable decarbonisation solution for sectors that cannot transition to electrification in the short to medium term.

Keith Byrne, implementation manager for Galetech e-Fuels, comments: 'I’m delighted to announce that Galetech Group will move ahead with a significant investment next year to develop Ireland’s first ever e-Fuels facility. While this is currently at a small-scale, it is an important first step in Galetech’s ambitious new strategy to develop an e-Fuels business. e-Fuels are a new and emerging technology , one that will help decarbonise hard-to-electrify sectors like aviation and heavy industry. As a country with the potential to produce an abundance of renewable energy in the years ahead, Ireland is perfectly positioned to become a leader in e-Fuels technology, and Galetech is ready to play its part. This new facility will test and validate the viability of e-Fuel production from renewable energy sources.'