Electricity-based fuels are at an early stage and deploying electricity from renewable energies to produce fuels such as hydrogen, synthetic liquid fuels or methane is crucial to avoid greenhouse gas emissions. There are significant reasons to boost this new and potentially massive sector. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) is making around 130 million Euro available for creating incentives to utilise synergies for linking energy, transport and maritime industries.
Numerous parallel forums at the 15th International Conference on Renewable Mobility will address various technical and economic topics concerning power trains of the future. Electricity-based fuels as a means of linking the electricity and transport sectors (sectoral coupling) will be the focus of attention at a parallel forum with experts from various companies and research institutes at 9 a.m. on day two of the conference, 23rd January 2018.
At the start of 2017, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) launched the “Energy Transition in the Transport Sector: Sector Coupling Through Electricity-based Fuels” funding initiative. The ministry is making around 130 million Euro available for the next three years, thus creating incentives to utilise synergies through research on linking energy, transport and maritime industries. The funding targets projects on production and use of alternative, electricity-based fuels and considers how to integrate new technologies into the energy industry. The goal is to foster use of electricity-based fuels in cars, trucks, ships, construction machinery and stationary industrial engines. At the same time, energy, automotive and component companies invest considerable sums in these prospects, which will contribute to shaping the combustion engine’s future.
Electricity-based fuels are just at the project stage. Commercialisation and market launch will however only have an impact on climate protection in the long term. Deploying electricity from renewable energies to produce fuels such as hydrogen, synthetic liquid fuels or methane is crucial to avoid greenhouse gas emissions. Presentations in the parallel forum “Electricity-based Fuels – Connecting the Electricity and Transport Sector” will address current research progress and the development context shaping future use:
Dr. Alexander Tremel (Siemens AG) views electricity-based fuels as a significant link between the electricity industry and the transport sector, as well as an important factor for successful sector coupling.
Sebastian Becker (sunfire AG) describes current progress and future steps in transforming power-to-liquids. Reversible high-temperature electrolysis (RSOC) allows transposition of this technology from the electricity sector to the fuel sector. Combining fuel-cell technology and electrolysis in one facility, it produces green hydrogen using electricity generated from wind or solar energy.
Stephan Schmidt (Chemieanlagenbau Chemnitz GmbH) highlights technological scope to produce synthetic petrol.
Horst Fehrenbach (ifeu Institut für Energie-und Umweltforschung Heidelberg) analyses the climate balance of various powertrain systems. He will focus on fossil fuels, biofuels, power-to-X and battery-powered vehicles.
Karin Naumann (DBFZ Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum gGmbH) compares several types of renewable fuels in her presentation. A fundamental system comparison of biomass-to-X and power-to-X takes centre-stage in this appraisal. Further information on the entire programme and registration is available at the event website.