Before discussing Gota Energy's pollution-free gasoline, let's start with a premise: not a day goes by without hearing about some contribution to the debate on combating air pollution from the mobility sector. However, it must be acknowledged that eliminating combustion engines is a difficult path to take, at least in the short term. The dream of zero-emission modes of transportation clashes with the impossibility of expecting a global phase-out of traditional combustion engines. At the same time, we must recognize the current technological, economic, and political limitations of electric mobility. Using alternative fuels to power combustion engines therefore appears to be a particularly attractive solution at the moment, and the path to technological and social adaptation appears to be significantly easier, while still ensuring a significant reduction in harmful emissions.
"The core of our research," explains Alessia Cesarini, "is identifying and developing a process to transform alcohol, generated through fermentation, into a blend equivalent to that derived from petroleum and therefore perfectly compatible with current engines, infrastructure, and fueling stations. I would like to emphasize that an external laboratory has confirmed the equivalence of Gota gasoline to standard Unleaded 95."
When asked how they achieved this result, Alessia laughs and explains with amusement: "I wouldn't call it coincidence, but there were certainly some very specific circumstances. In 2021, as part of my PhD in chemical engineering, completed at ETH Zurich and Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology), I had been working for several months on a project aimed at developing a process for producing sustainable fuels from environmentally friendly, non-petroleum-based raw materials, such as alcohol. One day, my colleague Ali J. Saadun—who later became co-founder of Gota Energy—entered my lab and noticed a strong odor that reminded him of a gas station. We decided to immediately go to the nearest gas station and buy a few liters of Unleaded 95. We analyzed it and compared it to synthetic liquids produced in the lab, discovering that the composition was very similar: therefore, our process, thanks to the specific materials used as catalysts, was capable of transforming simple alcohol into gasoline. More precisely, the value of our discovery lies in having identified, and patented, materials that are best suited to transforming alcohol, which is a single molecule, into the mix of approximately 250 molecules that make up gasoline.
The advantages of the fuel produced by Gota Energy are clear. First and foremost, despite its components being completely substitutes for traditional gasoline, it is fully compatible with currently used internal combustion engines, requiring no replacements or modifications. Furthermore, this gasoline does not require high-temperature manufacturing processes, significantly increasing the safety of the various production phases. Furthermore, given the current crisis affecting the entire automotive sector, car manufacturers are beginning to look more openly at potential synthetic fuel solutions.
In recent months, in addition to exploring all the issues related to the relevant regulations in force at the Swiss and European levels, we have established fruitful relationships with the relevant authorities in the sector and have engaged with innovative companies already present around the world, first and foremost in Brazil. Regarding the structuring of our startup, we turned to the Agire Foundation, receiving valuable support for everything related to building our business model. This step, which we might call "training," then materialized in participation in Boldbrain Startup Challenge 2024 and then also to another accelerator based in Lausanne.
All of this has allowed us to identify our next goal: to initiate partnerships with local fuel distributors, who are particularly interested in escaping the hegemony of the major oil companies, so as to deliver our fuel directly to filling stations. At the same time, with a great deal of creativity and improvised means, we have managed to build our first plant capable of producing 10.000 liters of fuel per year, and we estimate that in the coming months, capacity will reach 1 million liters. In 2026, we face the challenge of approaching the venture capital market to best finance the further development of our project.
With its upcoming move to the Manno Technology Park , Gota Energy will begin its adventure, leaving behind its role as an academic research and innovative startup to meet the expectations of a potentially gigantic market. This journey, taking into account Alessia Cesarini's personal experience, also confirms the role of a generation of Ticinese who, after studying and completing their education abroad, decide to return home to create a solid entrepreneurial venture. Without being too ironic, it's fair to say that this project certainly has the fuel to achieve its goals.
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