Europe’s green transition is slowed by the fact that renewables cannot easily replace the fuels that aviation, transport, and heavy industry still depend on. As fossil supplies become geopolitically risky and environmentally untenable, the question is not how to generate clean energy, but how to store and move it. The EU-funded METHCESFUEL aims to offer a bridge by developing synthetic fuels made with green hydrogen. Specifically, it will develop ‘drop-in’ synthetic fuels such as renewable methanol and methane that work with existing engines and infrastructure. The innovation lies in a three-step conversion process powered by thermochemical energy storage. By recycling CO2 into high-performance fuel, METHCESFUEL aims to stabilise the grid and ensure Europe’s industrial future is both sovereign and carbon-neutral.