Is Fuel a Good Journal? The Elsevier Fuel Science Flagship
Fuel is Elsevier's flagship for fuel science and technology with IF 7.4. Here's when your paper fits, what gets desk-rejected, and how it compares to Applied Energy, Energy & Fuels, and Combustion and Flame.
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Journal fit
See whether this paper looks realistic for Fuel.
Run the Free Readiness Scan with Fuel as your target journal and see whether this paper looks like a realistic submission.
Fuel at a glance
Key metrics to place the journal before deciding whether it fits your manuscript and career goals.
What makes this journal worth targeting
- IF 7.5 puts Fuel in a visible tier — citations from papers here carry real weight.
- Scope specificity matters more than impact factor for most manuscript decisions.
- Acceptance rate of ~~40-50% means fit determines most outcomes.
When to look elsewhere
- When your paper sits at the edge of the journal's stated scope — borderline fit rarely improves after submission.
- If timeline matters: Fuel takes ~~100-130 days median. A faster-turnaround journal may suit a grant or job deadline better.
- If open access is required by your funder, verify the journal's OA agreements before submitting.
How to read Fuel as a target
This page should help you decide whether Fuel belongs on the shortlist, not just whether it sounds impressive.
Question | Quick read |
|---|---|
Best for | Fuel published by Elsevier is the premier journal for fuel science, combustion, and energy conversion. With. |
Editors prioritize | Novel fuel or combustion technology advancing energy performance or emissions |
Think twice if | Fuel characterization without combustion or engine performance data |
Typical article types | Research Article, Review, Short Communication |
Quick answer: Fuel (IF 7.4, JCR 2024) is Elsevier's flagship journal for fuel science and technology. It is a strong journal for papers that connect fuel identity to real combustion, emissions, or operational performance. It is a weak journal for characterization studies that stop before the fuel actually does anything.
The Editorial Distinction
Fuel editors apply a simple filter: does this paper advance our understanding of how fuels behave, perform, or impact systems, or does it just analyze a fuel sample?
A study that tests a novel biodiesel blend in a real engine, measures emissions across operating conditions, and benchmarks against petroleum diesel belongs in Fuel. A study that characterizes the same biodiesel's chemical properties without ever lighting it on fire does not. The journal wants the full story: from composition through combustion to consequence.
This distinction is the single biggest source of desk rejections. Papers that stop at feedstock characterization, material synthesis, or catalyst preparation without connecting to fuel performance get turned away regardless of technical quality.
The Numbers
Metric | Value |
|---|---|
Impact Factor (JCR 2024) | 7.4 |
5-Year IF | ~7.6 |
Publisher | Elsevier |
Quartile | Q1 in Energy and Fuels, Q1 in Chemical Engineering |
Acceptance rate | ~20-25% |
APC | ~$3,600 (OA option); free under subscription |
Scope | Combustion, petroleum, biofuels, hydrogen, coal, synthetic fuels, emissions |
How Fuel Compares
Journal | IF (2024) | Acceptance | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
Fuel | 7.4 | ~20-25% | Broad fuel science and performance |
Applied Energy | 11.0 | ~15-20% | Energy systems, broader than fuel science |
Energy & Fuels | 5.2 | ~25-30% | Fuel chemistry, ACS society venue |
Combustion and Flame | 5.8 | ~25-30% | Fundamental combustion science and kinetics |
Fuel vs Applied Energy: Applied Energy (IF 11.0) has a higher IF but a broader scope covering energy systems, storage, and policy alongside fuel topics. If your paper is about fuel performance specifically, Fuel is the more natural home. If the paper addresses energy system integration beyond the fuel itself, Applied Energy may be a better fit.
Fuel vs Energy & Fuels: Energy & Fuels (IF 5.2, ACS) leans toward fuel chemistry, reaction mechanisms, molecular-level characterization, thermodynamic properties. Fuel leans toward fuel performance, what happens when the fuel is actually used. A paper about pyrolysis kinetics of biomass might fit Energy & Fuels better. A paper about how the resulting bio-oil performs in an engine belongs in Fuel.
Fuel vs Combustion and Flame: Combustion and Flame (IF 5.8, Combustion Institute) is for fundamental combustion science: flame dynamics, chemical kinetics, detonation physics. If the paper is really about combustion mechanisms rather than fuel behavior, Combustion and Flame is the truer home.
Best For
Fuel is strongest for:
- Combustion performance testing of novel fuels (biofuels, hydrogen blends, synthetic fuels)
- Engine and burner studies with emissions data and performance benchmarking
- Petroleum and coal science with processing and utilization consequences
- Hydrogen fuel research including storage, combustion, and fuel cell applications
- Biofuel production-to-performance studies that span feedstock through engine testing
- Emissions characterization tied to specific fuel properties and operating conditions
Submit If
- The paper connects fuel composition or processing to measurable combustion, emissions, or operational performance
- Benchmarking against relevant reference fuels or standard conditions is included
- The practical implication is visible in the abstract and early figures
- The work sits clearly within fuel science rather than pure chemistry, catalysis, or materials
Journal fit
See whether this paper looks realistic for Fuel.
Run the scan with Fuel as the target. Get a manuscript-specific fit signal before you commit.
Think Twice If
- The paper stops at characterization without performance data, Fuel will likely desk-reject
- The novelty is a marginal blend tweak or feedstock swap with thin differentiation from prior work
- The real contribution is catalytic or chemical, not fuel-behavioral, Energy & Fuels or a chemistry journal may be more honest
- The paper is fundamentally about combustion physics rather than fuel science, consider Combustion and Flame
- The work is systems-level energy analysis, Applied Energy is the broader venue
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fuel getting harder to publish in?
Yes. The editorial team has tightened desk-rejection standards in recent years, particularly for incremental blend studies and characterization-only papers. The IF has increased from ~5 to ~7.4 over the past five years, and with that comes higher selectivity. Papers that would have been reviewed a few years ago now get desk-rejected.
Does Fuel accept hydrogen research?
Yes. Hydrogen fuel research, including hydrogen combustion, hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen storage for fuel applications, and hydrogen blend performance, fits within Fuel's scope. The key is that the hydrogen work must be framed as fuel science, not as materials science or electrochemistry.
What about carbon capture and utilization?
Fuel publishes carbon-related energy research when it connects to fuel production or use. CO2-to-fuel conversion, carbon-capture impacts on combustion systems, and carbon-neutral fuel pathways fit well. Pure carbon capture engineering without a fuel connection is better placed in specialty journals.
How fast is the review process?
Typical turnaround is 2-4 months from submission to first decision. Desk rejections come within 1-2 weeks. Fuel processes a high volume of submissions, so review times can vary depending on reviewer availability.
Before submitting, a Fuel scope and readiness check can help you assess whether your paper's fuel-performance story is strong enough for Fuel or better positioned for Energy & Fuels or a specialty journal.
Before you submit
A Fuel submission readiness check identifies the specific framing and scope issues that trigger desk rejection before you submit.
Why timing your submission matters
Journal editorial capacity fluctuates. Submissions during major conference seasons face longer reviewer turnaround. End-of-year submissions may sit longer during holiday periods. New IF announcements (June each year) can temporarily increase submissions to journals whose IF rose.
For selective journals, the practical advice is: submit when the manuscript is ready, not when the calendar seems favorable. A paper that is scientifically complete and properly targeted will succeed regardless of timing. A paper with gaps will fail regardless of when you submit.
A Fuel submission readiness check evaluates fit independently of timing.
How to use this information strategically
A Fuel scope and readiness check gives you the verdict: does your paper fit this journal?
Frequently asked questions
Fuel has a 2024 JCR impact factor of 7.4 and is ranked Q1 in both Energy and Fuels and Chemical Engineering. It is one of the highest-impact journals dedicated to fuel science and technology.
Fuel covers combustion, petroleum and fossil fuels, biofuels, synthetic fuels, hydrogen fuel research, coal science, emissions control, and carbon-related energy topics. The common thread is fuel behavior and performance, not just fuel-adjacent chemistry or materials science.
Approximately 20-25%. Fuel is competitive and increasingly desk-rejects papers that stop at characterization without connecting to real combustion, emissions, or operational performance. The editorial screen has tightened in recent years.
Fuel (IF 7.4, Elsevier) has a higher IF and broader scope than Energy & Fuels (IF 5.2, ACS). Energy & Fuels leans more toward fuel chemistry. Fuel rewards the connection between fuel composition and real-world performance. For chemistry-forward papers, Energy & Fuels may actually be the better fit.
Sources
- Fuel journal homepage, Elsevier.
- Fuel guide for authors, Elsevier.
- Clarivate Journal Citation Reports (JCR 2024, released June 2025).
Final step
See whether this paper fits Fuel.
Run the Free Readiness Scan with Fuel as your target journal and get a manuscript-specific fit signal before you commit.
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Where to go next
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Same journal, next question
- Fuel Submission Guide: Scope, Format & Tips (2026)
- How to Avoid Desk Rejection at Fuel in 2026
- Fuel Review Time: What Authors Can Actually Expect
- Fuel Journal Acceptance Rate: What Authors Can Use
- Fuel Impact Factor 2026: 7.5, Q1, Rank 22/175
- Is Your Paper Ready for Fuel? What Elsevier's Biggest Energy Journal Actually Wants
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