Exploring safety challenges in e-fuel production

E-fuels, or electrofuels, are gaining momentum as a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels - but what new safety challenges do they bring? 

Made by synthesizing hydrogen (from water electrolysis) and carbon dioxide (captured from the air or industrial sources), these fuels include e-methanol, e-diesel, e-kerosene, and other hydrocarbons. 

They're designed to be drop-in compatible with existing engines and infrastructure, but behind their sustainable promise lies a complex safety profile that instrumentation professionals must manage closely.

From high-pressure hydrogen systems to toxic intermediates and combustion reactivity, e-fuels introduce a new generation of monitoring demands for process safety, emissions control, and environmental compliance.

What are the safety risks in e-fuel production?

1. Hydrogen handling and explosion risk

Hydrogen is central to e-fuel synthesis. It’s also extremely flammable, has a wide explosive range (4–75%), and diffuses rapidly, making leaks hard to contain and potentially catastrophic. 

Electrolysers, storage tanks, and pipelines all demand tight control of pressure, temperature, and leak detection.

How to respond:  

• Hydrogen-specific gas detectors (electrochemical or catalytic bead) in all hydrogen-handling zones
• Continuous pressure and temperature monitoring in electrolysers and compressors
• Hydrogen leak detection tape or fibreoptic sensors in hard-to-monitor spaces
• Explosion-proof electrical enclosures and intrinsic safety-rated transmitters

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2. CO and CO₂ toxicity and reactivity

CO₂ is captured from industrial exhausts or directly from air, then reduced to CO in some processes. CO, however, is highly toxic, especially in enclosed environments. 

Additionally, CO₂ under high pressure behaves as a supercritical fluid, requiring specialized containment and venting systems.

How to respond:

• CO detectors in synthesis zones using reverse water-gas shift or Fischer-Tropsch methods
• High-pressure sensors for CO₂ storage and gas-expanded solvent systems
• Purge and pressure-relief valve monitoring to manage supercritical CO₂ handling

3. Catalyst sensitivity and thermal runaway

E-fuel production relies on sensitive catalysts, often operating under high temperatures (200–350 °C) and pressures (20–50 bar). 

Uncontrolled conditions can lead to thermal runaway, catalyst poisoning, or formation of unstable by-products.

How to respond:

• High-accuracy temperature and pressure sensors in reactors and heat exchangers
• Flow and feed composition analysers to ensure stable reaction conditions
• Infrared and thermal imaging for early detection of hotspots or catalyst bed fouling

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4. Flammable product storage

E-fuels like e-methanol and e-diesel may be chemically identical or similar to their fossil-derived counterparts and therefore carry the same flammability risks. 

Methanol is also toxic via inhalation or skin absorption, while kerosene analogues require vapor monitoring.

How to respond:

• Flame-proof tank sensors with ATEX/IECEx certifications
• Vapour pressure monitors and in-tank gas detectors for storage safety
• Ambient air monitors for methanol and VOCs in transfer or blending areas

5. Purity and combustion performance

E-fuels need to meet exacting purity specs — particularly if used in aviation or marine applications. Residual water, oxygenates, or metal contaminants can impact combustion stability and emission profiles, especially NOx and PM.

How to respond:

• On-line chromatography (GC) or FTIR analysers to verify fuel composition
• CEMS (Continuous emissions monitoring systems) for combustion gases
• Particulate monitors to track PM in engine or burner testing of e-fuels

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Case studies

While large-scale e-fuel deployments are still early-stage, a few examples illustrate emerging challenges.

Pilot e-methanol plants have reported near-miss incidents involving hydrogen leaks during start-up phases, underlining the need for fast-response H₂ sensors and pressure interlocks.

In one project synthesising e-diesel, catalyst degradation due to water ingress led to temperature spikes and reaction instability, caught only by high-speed thermal monitoring.

A 2023 report from Germany flagged worker exposure to CO during a maintenance procedure in a reverse water-gas shift unit, traced to insufficient gas purge validation.

These cases point to a trend: while the chemistry is “green,” the process risks are real, and often novel for teams used to handling conventional hydrocarbon streams.

What do the regulators say?

The EU’s RED III directive incentivizes e-fuel production, especially in aviation and maritime, but imposes strict lifecycle emissions auditing, meaning accurate flow metering, gas monitoring, and emissions validation are now part of compliance.

In the US, DOE-funded e-fuel hubs require facilities to report on process safety incidents and emissions data in real time.

ISO and ICAO are working on fuel purity and safety standards for synthetic aviation fuels, with detailed specs for contaminant limits and performance under variable conditions.

This global regulatory momentum is driving investment in instrumentation that tracks every aspect of e-fuel production, from hydrogen purity and gas flow rates to combustion efficiency and emissions profiles.

E-fuels offer a compelling pathway to decarbonise transport and petrochemicals but they don’t eliminate the risks associated with flammable gases, pressurized systems, and toxic intermediates. 

For instrumentation professionals, the transition to e-fuels requires retooling legacy safety systems and embracing new analytical technologies.

Hydrogen detection, CO monitoring, high-pressure containment sensors, and real-time purity analysis are no longer optional. They’re essential safeguards in a sector where process safety is evolving alongside sustainability.

By Jed Thomas