Proof of concept has been provided
For two years, researchers led by Aldo Steinfeld, professor for renewable energy sources at ETH Zurich, have been running their mini solar refinery on the roof of the machine laboratory in the middle of Zurich. The system produces an average of around one deciliter per day. “We were able to successfully demonstrate the technical feasibility of the entire thermochemical process chain for converting sunlight and ambient air into drop-in fuels. The overall system works stably under real solar radiation conditions and serves as a unique platform for further research and development, ”says Steinfeld. The technology is now ready for transfer to industry.
Market ramp-up via quota system
Looking at the entire process, the fuel would cost 1.20 to two euros per liter for production on an industrial scale. Desert regions with high levels of solar radiation were suitable as production sites. “In contrast to biofuels, whose potential is limited due to the scarcity of agricultural land, the global demand for aircraft fuel could be met by using less than one percent of the world’s dry land and would not compete with food or feed production,” explains Johan Lilliestam , Research Group Leader at the IASS and Professor of Energy Policy at the University of Potsdam. If the materials for the construction of the production facilities, such as glass and steel, are made using renewable energies, greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced to zero.
However, given the high initial investment costs, solar fuels need political support to enter the market. In the opinion of Lilliestam, the existing funding instruments of the European Union are insufficient to promote market demand for solar fuels. The researchers are therefore proposing a technology-specific EU quota system for aircraft fuel: the airlines should be obliged to obtain a proportion of their fuel from solar sources.
To start with, when the price of solar kerosene is high and production capacity is low, the study authors recommend a rate of 0.1 percent. Such a proportion would have little effect on the cost of flying, but it would enable production facilities to be set up – thus initiating a learning curve that can lead to improved technology and lower prices. The quota could gradually rise until solar kerosene breaks the market without further subsidies.
CO2-Neutral fuels are central to more sustainable aviation and shipping. Because air and shipping traffic currently accounts for around eight percent of the CO caused by humans2Emissions. pf
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