The founders of INERATEC, a spinoff of KIT, develop compact, microstructured chemical reactors for conversion of gases into high-quality liquid fuels.
Demand-driven production of liquid fuels from regenerative energy sources is a major element of the energy turnaround. Production of synthetic fuels from solar energy and carbon dioxide extracted from air is the objective of the SOLETAIR project started now by INERATEC, a spinoff of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), in cooperation with Finnish partners. Together, the partners plan to take into operation the first chemical pilot plant worldwide. It is so compact that it fits into a ship container and produces gasoline, diesel, and kerosene from regenerative hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
The plant consists of three components. The direct air capture unit developed by the Technical Research Center of Finland (VTT) extracts carbon dioxide from air. An electrolysis unit developed by Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) produces the required hydrogen by means of solar power. A microstructured, chemical reactor is the key component of the plant and converts the hydrogen produced from solar power together with carbon dioxide into liquid fuels. This reactor was developed by KIT. The compact plant was developed to maturity and is now being commercialized by INERATEC.
“Projects, such as SOLETAIR, are essential for the success of the energy turnaround,” Professor Thomas Hirth, Vice President for Innovation and International Affairs of KIT, says. “Commissioning of this pilot plant is an example of successful transfer of KIT’s research innovations to industry.” INERATEC GmbH is a spinoff of KIT and develops, constructs, and sells compact chemical plants for various gas-to-liquid and power-to-liquid applications. The spinoff is supported under the EXIST research transfer program of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.
Learn more: Power-to-Liquid: Pilot operation of first compact plant
The Latest on: CO2 to liquid fuels
via Google News
The Latest on: CO2 to liquid fuels
- Porsche says its synthetic fuel will make internal combustion as clean as EVson February 25, 2021 at 9:46 pm
With the automotive world rapidly heading towards electrification and governments banning the sale of internal combustion engine cars in the coming decades, it would seem that the days of traditional ...
- New Method Converts Methane in Natural Gas to Methanol at Room Temperatureon February 25, 2021 at 6:57 am
Researchers at the Chicago (UIC) have discovered a way to convert the methane in natural gas into liquid methanol at room temperature. This discovery, reported in the journal Proceedings of the ...
- Can liquid natural gas help to 'green' shipping?on February 25, 2021 at 4:50 am
Northeast Florida is driving the transition to a clean energy global supply chain with its leadership in producing and utilizing liquid natural gas (LNG). LNG is relatively clean, low-cost and stable.
- Green fuels for aviationon February 25, 2021 at 4:46 am
The goal of a new joint initiative called SynFuels is to develop a process for producing kerosene from renewable resources. In this way liquid fuel mixtures of the highest quality, which would allow ...
- New EU project funded to develop cost-effective sustainable aviation fuel using CO2 emissions and renewable energyon February 25, 2021 at 3:02 am
Aviation is one of the most challenging sectors when it comes to reducing CO2 emissions. One of the reasons is that common alternatives such as electrification ...
- Sweet move! Sugar in your fuel tankon February 24, 2021 at 6:07 pm
Drivers will soon be able to fill their tanks with a new greener blend of fuel oil at petrol stations across the UK starting from September. The new type of fuel, named E10, is a mixture of petrol and ...
- Usage of synthetic fuel will be as clean as EVs, according to Porscheon February 21, 2021 at 8:13 pm
Porsche claims that a car running on synthetic fuel will be as clean as EVs as it yields the same carbon footprint, and could reduce CO2 by 85 percent.
- CO2 sucked from the air and turned into jet fuel shows promiseon February 16, 2021 at 12:31 pm
Efforts are underway in Europe to develop electro-fuels for airlines using CO2 captured directly from the atmosphere as a feedstock.
- Op-Ed: Carbon Dioxide to Liquid Fuel: Is It Time to Make the Leap?on February 1, 2021 at 4:00 pm
Carbon Engineering's pilot plant will remove CO 2 from the atmosphere and convert it into liquid fuel. (Image source: Carbon Engineering) Another effort is underway by a Canadian company called Carbon ...
via Bing News
