Recent tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have once again exposed a fundamental vulnerability in the global energy system. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through this narrow maritime corridor, making it one of the most strategically important energy chokepoints on the planet. Whenever instability affects the region, energy markets react immediately, highlighting how dependent many economies remain on imported fossil fuels.
For Europe, the lesson is clear: achieving climate neutrality is not only an environmental imperative but also a matter of energy security and resilience.
Despite significant progress in renewable electricity generation, Europe continues to rely heavily on imported fossil fuels to power transport, industry and aviation. While electrification is advancing rapidly for cars, railways and some industrial processes, not all sectors can easily switch to batteries.
Why Aviation Remains Difficult to Electrify
Commercial aviation presents one of the greatest challenges in the energy transition. Aircraft require extremely energy-dense fuels capable of storing large amounts of energy while adding as little weight as possible. Current battery technologies are simply too heavy to power medium- and long-haul flights at scale.
As a result, sustainable liquid fuels are expected to remain essential for aviation for decades to come. The European Union recognises this challenge through initiatives such as ReFuelEU Aviation, which aims to progressively increase the use of sustainable aviation fuels across Europe.
From Sunlight to Fuel
This is where SUN-PERFORM comes in.
The project is developing a new generation of solar fuels by combining nanotechnology and synthetic biology. Using engineered microalgae, SUN-PERFORM seeks to convert sunlight and carbon dioxide directly into lipid molecules that can serve as precursors for sustainable aviation fuels.
To improve efficiency, researchers are developing advanced light-harvesting materials that capture parts of the solar spectrum normally unused by algae and convert them into wavelengths that can drive photosynthesis more effectively. At the same time, the algae themselves are being engineered to capture carbon more efficiently and channel more of their energy into fuel production.
The goal is to dramatically improve the efficiency and affordability of solar fuel production while reducing dependence on fossil carbon.
Building Energy Resilience
Europe’s future energy system will require a diverse portfolio of solutions. Renewable electricity, green hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuels and advanced biofuels will all play a role in reducing dependence on imported fossil resources.
Projects such as SUN-PERFORM contribute to this vision by exploring how sunlight, carbon dioxide and biological systems can be harnessed to produce fuels locally and sustainably. While challenges remain before such technologies reach commercial scale, they represent an important step toward a more resilient European energy system—one less vulnerable to geopolitical shocks and more aligned with long-term climate goals.
As recent events have shown, energy security and sustainability are increasingly two sides of the same coin.