New liquid fuels – out of the sunshine?
#FutureFuels – part 3
We all know that energy can be generated from the sun; photovoltaic and solar thermal technologies are widely developed. What is less known is that one can produce liquid fuels through this renewable source of electricity…
The “Power-to-Liquid” or “Power-to-Liquids” (PtL) process consists in generating a synthetic liquid fuel by using renewable electricity, carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or other sources, and water. Hydrogen is produced from renewable electricity by way of electrolysis; carbon dioxide is captured from the atmosphere or other sources, and liquid fuels are generated through a synthesis process named “Fischer-Tropsch”.
These synthetic fuels, sometimes also called “e-fuels”, can be CO2 neutral and are a serious option to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while keeping the liquid form, which facilitates transport and storage of energy.
The e-fuels can then be mixed with traditional fuels or further processed into products with the same properties as gasoline, diesel, heating oil or kerosene.
A combination of PtL and Biomass-to-Liquid (BtL) technologies is “Power-and-Biomass-to-Liquid” (PBtL). In this case, the carbon dioxide is provided by the processing of biomass, while the hydrogen comes from the electrolysis of renewable electricity. The product generated is similar to PtL.
(Graph: Eurofuel)
PtL and PBtL technologies enable to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in ideal conditions up to 98% compared to mineral oil.
An impressive example of existing demonstration facility for e-fuels is provided by the company Sunfire in Dresden, Germany.
(Eurofuel visiting the Sunfire facilities in Dresden. Photo: Eurofuel)
Other #FutureFuels articles
Part 1: What future liquid fuels to heat our homes?
Part 2: New liquid fuels... out of biomass and waste?
Part 4: New liquid fuels... out of algae?
Part 5: Future fuels: Climate friendly... and affordable?
Interested to learn more?
Register to our workshop on Future Liquid Fuels, which will take place in Brussels on Wednesday 6 June 2018.