Scientists at ETH Zurich have built a system that can produce climate-neutral liquid fuels from sunlight and air. The next goal will be to bring this technology to an industrial scale and become competitive. In an article published in the journal Nature, researchers from Zurich and Potsdam describe how this novel solar reactor works and outline a political framework that would provide incentives for expanding the production of “solar kerosene”.
CO2-neutral fuels are crucial for making air and sea transport sustainable. The system developed in Zurich can be used to produce synthetic liquid fuels which, when burned, release as much CO2 as was previously withdrawn from the air for their production. CO2 and water are obtained directly from the ambient air and split with solar energy. This process creates syngas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, which is then processed into kerosene, methanol or other hydrocarbons.
A research team led by Aldo Steinfeld, professor for renewable energies at ETH Zurich, has been running the mini solar refinery on the roof of the machine laboratory building at ETH Zurich for two years. “This system successfully demonstrates the technical feasibility of the entire thermochemical process for converting sunlight and ambient air into drop-in fuels. The system works stably under real solar conditions and offers a unique platform for further research and development, ”says Steinfeld. The technology is now sufficiently mature for use in industrial applications.
Desert offers ideal conditions
Analyzes of the entire process show that the fuel would cost 1.20 to 2 euros per liter in industrial production. Desert regions with high solar resources are particularly suitable as production locations. “Unlike biofuels, whose potential is limited due to the scarcity of agricultural land, this technology enables us to meet global demand for kerosene by consuming less than one percent of the world’s dry land area, rather than producing food or livestock would compete with feed “, explains Johan Lilliestam, research group leader at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS Potsdam) and professor for energy policy at the University of Potsdam. Are the materials used for the construction of the production facilities such as glass and steel produced with renewable energies and CO2-neutrally , emissions can be further reduced to almost zero.
Supporting guidelines required
However, given the high initial investment costs, solar fuels need political support to secure their market entry. “The European Union’s existing funding instruments – emissions trading and offsetting – are not sufficient to stimulate market demand for solar fuels. Against this background, we propose the introduction of a European technology-specific quota system for aviation gasoline that airlines obtain a certain proportion of their fuel from solar sources, “explains Lilliestam.
The authors of the study recommend a share of 0.1 percent in the earliest phase of market introduction, when the price for “solar kerosene” will be high and production capacities will be low. This would have little impact on flight costs, but it would encourage the construction of manufacturing facilities and initiate a learning curve that could lead to technological improvements and lower prices. The quota could then be gradually increased until solar kerosene achieves a market breakthrough without further subsidies.
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Materials provided by Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies eV (IASS). Note: The content can be edited in terms of style and length.
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