VERSO ENERGY and European Commission Sign Innovation Fund Agreement for DEZiR e-SAF Project
VERSO ENERGY signed on March 18 a funding agreement with the European Commission for DEZiR, an e-SAF project near Rouen targeting commissioning by 2030.
| Countries | France |
|---|---|
| Companies | Valero Energy, Rely, John Cockerill |
| Sector | Carburants Alternatifs, SAF |
| Theme | Développement de projets, Financement de projet |
VERSO ENERGY and the European Commission signed on March 18 a funding agreement under the European Union's Innovation Fund program. The DEZiR project — Décarbonation en Seine Eure et sur la Zone industrielle de Rouen — developed by VERSO ENERGY, is one of three e-SAF projects selected under the Innovation Fund's Large Scale window in November 2025.
An Industrial Project Anchored Near Rouen
Located near Rouen in northern France, DEZiR is positioned to become one of the first large-scale European factories producing e-SAF. The project targets commissioning by 2030 to meet the mandates set by the ReFuelEU Aviation regulation, the European regulatory framework imposing progressive quotas for sustainable fuels in the aviation sector. The agreement was signed between VERSO ENERGY and the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), which manages the Innovation Fund on behalf of the Commission.
Technical Process and Execution Timeline
The plant will deploy, on a single site, several combined processes: biogenic CO₂ capture, water electrolysis using renewable and low-carbon electricity, e-methanol synthesis, and conversion to e-kerosene via the Methanol-to-Jet (MtJ) process. The plant's design is being optimized as part of FEED (Front-End Engineering Design) studies conducted by Rely, a joint venture between Technip Energies and John Cockerill, for VERSO ENERGY since late 2025. Completion of these studies is scheduled for end-2026.
This timeline paves the way for a final investment decision in mid-2027, according to VERSO ENERGY, and for commissioning of the facility around 2030. The European funding supplements initial support granted by the French government through the France 2030 plan, operated by the Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME), under the «FEED CARB AERO» window dedicated to financing FEED engineering studies.
Management Statement
«The geopolitical context powerfully underlines the need to strengthen our energy sovereignty and reduce our dependence on fossil imports. The DEZiR project, one of the most advanced in Europe for e-SAF production, will be ready to deliver its first molecules by the 2030 deadline set by ReFuelEU, making a concrete contribution to the emergence of this industrial sector», said Antoine Huard, chief executive officer and co-founder of VERSO ENERGY. The company also states it holds 2 GW of renewable energy projects in development, construction or operation, and is overseeing the development of eight e-fuels production units across France, Finland and the United States.
