- Elyse Energy has successfully secured strategic financing for two sustainable fuel projects.
- The financing has been structured into a single transaction—bringing together the eM-Rhône and the BioTJet projects.
Elyse Energy, a French industrial SME leading the way in low-carbon molecule production, has successfully secured strategic financing for two sustainable fuel projects to support the energy transition in maritime and air transport, including defence, as well as in industry.
Societe Generale acted as Financial Advisor and Mandated Lead Arranger (MLA), in structuring and arranging a financing covered by Bpifrance Assurance Export under the French Treasury’s Garantie des Projets Stratégiques (GPS) scheme.
International climate regulations and targets are accelerating the need for clean energy solutions across hard-to-abate sectors, such as aviation, shipping, and chemicals.
In Europe, regulatory mandates, such as RED III, are driving demand for synthetic fuels, with targets requiring aviation fuel blends to include 35 per cent green fuels by 2050.
Another example is the ReFuelEU Aviation regulation, which came into force in 2025 and introduces progressive mandates for the incorporation of sustainable fuels by 2050.
Against this backdrop, Elyse Energy has emerged as a key player in the low-carbon molecule space, developing projects to produce sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and e-methanol through advanced technologies such as carbon capture, electrolysis, and methanolation.
Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Lyon, Elyse Energy has built a robust pipeline of projects across France, Spain, and Portugal. Its ambition is to produce low-carbon fuels in Europe to contribute to energy sovereignty and the reindustrialisation of territories.
The company’s commitment to innovation and the energy transition in the sector was recognised with the French Tech 2030 label and through support from the European Innovation Fund and the European Hydrogen Bank.
Elyse Energy has launched two projects, eM-Rhône and BioTJet, that aim to produce low-carbon fuels for industrial, maritime, and aviation clients, contributing significantly to France’s energy transition strategy.
Specifically, the eM-Rhône project aims to produce 150,000 tonnes of e-methanol per year and stands as one of the most advanced e-methanol-related initiatives in Europe.
The BioTJet project will add hydrogen produced by water electrolysis to an advanced biofuel process, to produce sustainable aviation fuels via the so-called “power-biomass-to-liquids” pathway, with the objective to produce 82,000 tonnes of SAF per year.
The financing has been structured into a single transaction—bringing together the eM-Rhône and the BioTJet projects.
Both transactions benefit from the French Treasury’s GPS Facility, with BpiFrance Assurance Export covering 80 per cent of the commercial risks borne by lenders. In total, the financing package includes €63 million under the GPS Facility, along with €7 million in VAT financing.
These funds will be used to cover development expenditures and project-related costs, enabling Elyse Energy to move forward with a final investment decision to design, build and operate both projects.
By leading and arranging this financing, Societe Generale reinforces its position as a strategic partner in supporting projects aimed at reducing emissions in hard-to-abate sectors. The transaction highlights the bank’s expertise in structuring complex, multi-stakeholder financings.