The fairfuel standard
atmosfair fairfuel is a quality seal for Power-to-Liquid (PtL) – e-kerosene and e-methanol for aviation and the maritime transport sector. E-kerosene is refined from synthetic crude oil into commercially usable Jet A1, with the crude oil being produced through synthesis processes from the feedstocks CO₂ and water using electricity. E-kerosene can be used in the existing aviation infrastructure without requiring modifications to airport infrastructure or turbines. E-kerosene therefore has the potential to solve the aviation sector’s CO₂ problem permanently and quickly enough to meet the Paris climate protection targets. E-methanol is also produced through a synthesis process from the feedstocks CO₂ and water using electricity and can be used directly as a fuel in the maritime sector. E-methanol has properties similar to marine diesel and can be used in the existing infrastructure of the maritime transport sector with only minor adjustments. In the future, once the corresponding ASTM certification has been granted, e-methanol can also be further processed into e-kerosene. Both this variant and the use of by-products generated during the refining processes for e-kerosene are covered by this standard. To fully exploit all of these potentials, the PtL technology must be used with integrity from a climate perspective – this is what the atmosfair fairfuel standard ensures.
In aviation, the highly climate-warming non-CO₂ emissions will then remain, which are initially only reduced, but not eliminated, by e-kerosene. In the longer term, this can be achieved through optimized flight routes, but this is not covered by the fairfuel standard.
Kriterien/Vergabe:
atmosfair
Form:
Voluntary supplementary standard
For:
Producers of e-kerosene and e-methanol
Verification:
Recognized certification bodies, e.g. TÜV SÜD
Criteria:
Additional renewable electricity, non-fossil CO₂ sources, water, ESG for the Global South
Scope:
Validation of the facility, certification of the quantity and quality of synthetic hydrocarbons
atmosfair fairfuel – quality seal for e-kerosene and e-methanol
Limited to Aviation and Maritime Transport
Due to the high energy demand associated with producing PtL fuels and their initially limited availability, the atmosfair fairfuel Standard restricts the use of e-fuels to aviation (medium- and long-haul flights) and deep-sea shipping, as these sectors currently lack viable alternative propulsion technologies. The use of atmosfair fairfuel in road transport is therefore excluded.
Primary Objective: Decarbonizing Aviation and Deep-Sea Shipping
The atmosfair fairfuel criteria ensure that the greenhouse gas reduction potential of e-kerosene and e-methanol is maximized by requiring the use of non-fossil, primarily biogenic CO₂ sources derived from residual materials. Over time, PtL plants certified under the fairfuel Standard must also increasingly integrate Direct Air Capture (DAC) to supply CO₂, ensuring long-term independence from biogenic and residual carbon sources. In addition, the Standard requires renewable electricity to meet strict additionality and regionality criteria, ensuring that PtL production supports the energy transition rather than competing with it.
CO₂
Eligible CO₂ sources must be non-fossil and derived from residual materials. The fairfuel Standard classifies CO₂ sources into four categories: Direct Air Capture (DAC), sustainable, conditionally sustainable, and non-sustainable. CO₂ captured directly from the atmosphere (DAC) is considered the preferred source. The assessment also takes into account the environmental impacts of upstream processes, excluding certain feedstocks such as energy crops (e.g. maize) used in biogas plants. Likewise, CO₂ from processes such as coal-based steel production is not eligible where climate-friendly alternatives, such as green hydrogen-based steelmaking, are available. Under the Silver level of the fairfuel Standard, however, CO₂ from cement production may be accepted as a temporary transitional solution.
When CO₂ from fossil sources is used, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by no more than 50%, because the carbon is at least used twice before being released, compared with the conventional fossil pathway (see figure). However, this approach still transfers fossil carbon from the ground into the atmosphere and therefore falls short of achieving long-term climate targets. In contrast, using CO₂ from Direct Air Capture (DAC) or biogenic sources enables a short-term carbon cycle, as atmospheric CO₂ is first captured—either biologically by plants or technologically through DAC—and then converted into e-kerosene. This is the only pathway that avoids introducing additional fossil CO₂ into the atmosphere. For this reason, the atmosfair fairfuel Standard derives its sustainability criteria from this scenario.
Electricity
The electricity used by the synthesis plant must not come at the expense of the energy transition, delay the decarbonization of the power sector, or undermine the climate goals of the Paris Agreement. Therefore, electricity used under the atmosfair fairfuel Standard must not only be sourced entirely from renewable energy but must also be additional and demonstrate both geographical and temporal correlation with renewable electricity generation. To ensure this, the fairfuel Standard follows the European requirements for renewable electricity used in the production of Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBOs). These requirements are defined in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1184 of 10 February 2023, supplementing Directive (EU) 2018/2001. This framework ensures that grid-connected electricity complies with the principles of additionality as well as geographical and temporal correlation. Detailed technical requirements are set out in the delegated regulation.
The fairfuel Standard complements these requirements with additional criteria to ensure that the production of e-kerosene and e-methanol is fully aligned with the climate goals of the Paris Agreement.
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No Transitional Period for Additionality
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Extended Geographical Correlation (500 km Radius)
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Grid-Friendly Operation of the PtL Plant
For PtL plants located outside the EU, operators must, where needed, provide the local population with access to electricity at socially affordable prices.
Economic Viability, Technical Feasibility, and Market Scale-Up
Although the atmosfair criteria require additional planning efforts from plant operators, they do not necessarily result in higher costs. On the contrary, costs may decrease over the long term compared with other scenarios, as the fairfuel approach improves the long-term availability of CO₂ and renewable electricity - the key production inputs - thereby reducing dependence on external risk factors and enabling more reliable plant operation.
In summary, the fairfuel criteria can often provide economic benefits over time. Overall, they are not expected to hinder the market scale-up of PtL kerosene in the foreseeable future.
Sufficient CO₂ Sources Available for Aviation
Sustainability in PtL production requires not only high environmental standards but also economic viability. In addition to production costs, it is essential to ensure that the CO₂ sources permitted under the fairfuel Standard are available in sufficient quantities.
To assess this, atmosfair calculated the CO₂ demand required to supply global aviation with PtL fuels and compared it with the available CO₂ from Category A and Category B sources (sustainable and conditionally sustainable) defined under the Standard. The analysis shows that sufficient residual CO₂ sources - primarily from waste biomass - are currently available worldwide to fully supply global aviation with sustainable PtL fuels. As air traffic continues to grow, however, a gradual transition to Direct Air Capture (DAC) will become increasingly necessary. The atmosfair criteria therefore combine the environmental imperative of moving rapidly toward DAC with the economic need to secure sufficient CO₂ sources to support the large-scale market deployment of e-kerosene and e-methanol.
Learn More About the atmosfair fairfuel Standard
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Der vollständige atmosfair fairfuel Standard zum Download
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E-Kerosin: Non-CO₂ Effekte und knappe Energieressourcen – Sorgenfrei fliegen?
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Visualisierung der Klimawirkung verschiedener Produktionspfade von Kerosin
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Berechnung der Klimawirkung verschiedener Produktionspfade von Kerosin
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Liste anerkannter Zertifizierungsstellen für fairfuel
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Liste der nach dem atmosfair fairfuel Standard validierten Power-to-Liquid Anlagen