The project aims to strengthen Europe’s energy security and reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports.
“With the right partners at hand, we are prepared to start immediately, building long-term fuel resilience in Germany and throughout Europe,” said Birgit Görtler, Vice President Sales Hydrogen at Rheinmetall.
Electrolysis plays a central role in the proposed project. Sunfire’s pressurized alkaline electrolyzers will form the backbone of hydrogen production for e-fuels such as diesel, marine diesel, and kerosene. The Dresden-based company is also advancing solid oxide electrolyzer cell (SOEC) technology, which utilizes steam or waste heat to achieve higher conversion efficiency and lower hydrogen production costs.
The Giga PtX project envisions a network of several hundred decentralized plants across Europe, each capable of producing 5,000–7,000 tons of CO₂-neutral fuel per year. Local production would eliminate dependence on fragile fossil supply chains, strengthening energy resilience for both defence and civilian sectors, including hospitals, transport, and logistics systems.
“Green hydrogen, as a local and renewable energy source, empowers Europe to act independently,” noted Nils Aldag, CEO of Sunfire. “This ‘security dividend’ has so far been neglected – and that’s where our Giga PtX partnership comes into play. European electrolysis technology thus not only drives decarbonization, but also makes an indispensable contribution to a strong and resilient Europe.”
The military accounts for approximately 5.5% of global CO₂ emissions – comparable to the aviation and maritime sectors combined. By leveraging Europe’s renewable energy potential, the Giga PtX initiative represents both a security and climate opportunity, supporting EU decarbonization goals while enhancing strategic autonomy.
