Electrofuels are a promising alternative to standard shipping fuels, due largely to the fact they can be easily integrated into existing infrastructure as drop-in fuels, especially for shorter shipping routes. This type of synthetic fuel is produced from electricity, typically green hydrogen and carbon dioxide (CO₂). Green hydrogen is produced via water electrolysis using renewable electricity, then CO₂ is derived from point sources such as industrial exhaust gases, biomass sources, or direct air capture (DAC).  

However, despite these process advantages, little research is being done with electrofuels because of their high production costs.