Why fuel resilience matters for European defense

European militaries have long depended on domestic refineries and imported fossil fuels to power their army, navy and air forces. However, with the transition away from fossil fuels, fuel availability and logistics infrastructure will eventually change for European military defense. 

The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS) has just published a white paper on “European Military Fuel Readiness: The Role of Alternative Fuels in Military Logistics” to address the challenge of fuel security and explore the role of alternative fuels in European defense. Topsoe has contributed with technical input to the paper and recommendations on alternative fuel readiness. 

Fuel security in Europe is at a crossroads  
Over 60% of Europe’s energy is imported, leaving defense operations exposed to external disruptions and market volatility. 

Europe is also facing a significant jet fuel deficit. 750,000 barrels per day were imported in July 2025, covering 88% of Europe's average daily demand. Just a few years ago, from 2017 to 2023, imports only accounted for 30% of the region's needs. 

This necessitates a reassessment of military fuel readiness.​ Continued reliance on crude oil imports to produce kerosene in European refineries represents an increasing risk due to geopolitical tensions and potential disruptions of the fuel supply chains, not least in wartime. 

European military fuel supply faces five main bottlenecks: 

• Dependence on crude oil imports
• Declining and uneven refining capacity
• Inadequate distribution infrastructure
• Insufficient fuel storage
• Challenges in maintaining both fossil and non-fossil fuel supply chains during the energy transition

Synthetic fuels to aid military logistics  
The most important feature of a military fuel is its alignment with military performance requirements. HCSS’s white paper highlights how home-grown synthetic drop-in fuels can strengthen supply chain resilience and reduce import dependency. Something that is very much called for. 

Drop-in synthetic fuels like e-SAF can be produced domestically using advanced clean technologies and blended seamlessly with existing fossil fuels. The gradual adoption of domestically produced drop-in fuels can reduce dependence on crude oil imports, thereby enhancing supply chain resilience and energy security. ​This means European militaries can maintain operational effectiveness without costly engine modifications or infrastructure overhauls. 

Policy and industry momentum  
Momentum for the fuel transition is building across Europe. Initiatives like ReFuelEU Aviation and FuelEU Maritime are setting ambitious targets for sustainable fuel blending, recognizing the importance of critical fuel infrastructure.  
 
While it is in both the civilian and military sectors’ near-term interest to increase adoption of synthetic drop-in fuels, the industrial- scale of this sector has not yet kicked in, and offtake and funding that support alternative fuel projects are needed. 
 
Moving forward  
Europe’s defense sector is at a turning point. ​By embracing synthetic drop-in fuels and investing in domestic production capacity, European militaries can strengthen their fuel supply and thereby Europe’s resilience and strategic autonomy while also reducing the climate impact of military operations.  

The technologies to produce drop-in synthetic fuels and strengthen European military fuel readiness are already available, but political decisiveness and directions to empower militaries are needed to engage in alternative fuel production and offtake.  

This will turn some of the many synthetic fuel projects in the pipeline into industrial-scale plants that can cater to both civilian and military demand and thereby provide a flexible fuel system in peace and wartime. 
 

Explore the white paper here.