“Methanol to Fuel” – the energy transition in the transportation sector
The energy transition is one of the greatest challenges for humanity in the 21st century. The European Commission’s Green Deal has created a framework for reducing net carbon emissions to zero by the year 2050. The EU member countries are required to take appropriate action.
According to the German Federal Environmental Protection Agency, nearly 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Germany in 2022 were caused by the transportation sector. This means that traffic is one of the biggest sources of carbon emissions. Converting all modes of transportation to electric power from renewable energy doesn’t seem realistic from today’s perspective, particularly for long-distance trucking as well as sea and air transportation. To achieve the climate goals, it is therefore necessary to find alternative solutions.
Carbon-neutral fuels as a solution
The German federal government’s national hydrogen strategy advocates a switch to carbon-neutral fuels, preferably in areas that cannot, or not yet, be electrified in a feasible manner. The strategy therefore proposes to import renewable energy, typically in the form of liquid or liquefied energy carriers such as methanol or ammonia. The aim is to generate primary energy at favorable locations which either receive above-average solar radiation or have excellent wind conditions year-round. Once in Europe, the energy carriers are then to be converted to hydrogen, fuels such as gasoline or kerosene, or other chemicals.
CAC Engineering GmbH (CAC) in Chemnitz, Germany applies a new method to produce synthetic fuels, also called SynFuels. CAC has developed a patented, market-ready technology to make synthetic gasoline. The Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg has built Europe’s largest testing and demonstration plant for this purpose, which is now operational. The process is scalable and can be implemented by industrial plants.
The partners of the current research project “DeCarTrans” (www.decartrans.de) include, apart from TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Lother GmbH (well-known from its gasoline station brand Nordoel), FEV Europe GmbH, Forschungszentrum Jülich, and CORYTON Advanced Fuels Deutschland GmbH, plus supporting companies such as Toyota, VW, BMW, Shell, and OMV.
Methanol as a source material & close collaboration with LESER
The synthetic gasoline is made from regenerative methanol, such as eMethanol and/or bio methanol, which can ultimately reduce carbon emissions by up to 90 percent. The gasoline can be used as a drop-in fuel in existing vehicles without requiring any modifications to the engine or fuel system. CAC is also experimenting with new ways to manufacture synthetic airplane kerosene in one of its own research plants.
SynFuels in general have additional benefits compared to fossil fuels, reducing particle emissions by 40 percent and NOx emissions by 70 percent. Synthetic kerosene cuts climate-damaging condensation trails in half, a significant achievement since contrails cause more than half of the greenhouse gas effect attributable to air traffic.
Developing and implementing new technologies takes time and significant effort. Mutual trust and strong expertise are key to successful collaboration between partners. Especially during the development phase and the batch processes involved, it is frequently necessary to adjust the parameters. This means that the equipment components used must meet stringent requirements. LESER and CAC collaborated closely on sizing and choosing the best possible safety valves, ensuring stable plant operation.
