Technip Energies has taken a minority equity stake in the DEZiR project, a synthetic aviation fuel (eSAF) facility under development in Rouen, France, signaling a strategic push into Europe’s decarbonized aviation sector.
The plant, selected under France 2030 and the European Innovation Fund, is slated to produce 80,000 tons per year of low-carbon aviation fuel once operational around 2030.
The DEZiR project integrates carbon capture and utilization, with Technip Energies deploying its Canopy by T.ENTM solution powered by Shell CANSOLV to capture biogenic CO2 from surrounding industries. This CO2 will then be used as a feedstock for eSAF production, aligning with European efforts to reduce aviation emissions while enhancing domestic energy sovereignty. FEED activities are being conducted by Rely, Technip Energies’ joint venture with John Cockerill dedicated to Power-to-X solutions, standardizing plant design to enable replicability and cost efficiency across future installations.
Verso Energy contributes its broader eSAF development portfolio to the initiative, which spans seven synthetic fuel sites across France, Finland, and the United States. The partnership aims to leverage DEZiR as a benchmark for the European e-fuels market, reducing lead times and scaling production while maintaining technical and financial rigor.
Technip Energies’ CEO Arnaud Pieton emphasized the strategic value of standardization, noting that DEZiR represents one of Europe’s most advanced eSAF projects and demonstrates the company’s approach to cost-efficient, replicable industrial decarbonization solutions. Verso Energy co-founder Xavier Caitucoli highlighted the investment as a validation of the project’s technical and financial quality, positioning France to deploy its first operational eSAF plant by 2030.
