eFuels represent a global solution to environmental challenges, as they make it possible to use climate-neutral vehicles and equipment anywhere in the world, today and in the future. The fight against climate change requires global solutions and the eFuel Alliance is committed to achieving the EU's climate targets by 2050, while supporting the transformation towards sustainable, modern and competitive economies within the EU. Meeting ambitious climate targets and managing the energy transition effectively requires technological innovation, which can only be achieved by being open to new technologies. These solutions must be adaptable across the EU, as well as in regions outside Europe, regardless of their economic situation, geographical conditions or technical capabilities.

Electric and biogenic synthetic fuels are an alternative to conventional liquid fuels and are ideal for significantly and cost-effectively reducing CO2 emissions in the transport and heating sectors, up to and including climate neutrality.

How are eFuels made?

The production of eFuels is based on the extraction of hydrogen using electrolysis, which splits water (such as seawater from desalination plants) into hydrogen and oxygen, requiring electrical energy. In a next step, the hydrogen is combined with CO2 extracted from the air using Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, creating a liquid energy carrier: eFuel. This process, which uses electricity to produce eFuels, is known as power-to-liquid – electricity is converted into a synthetic liquid that is easy to store and transport.

After processing in refineries, eFuels can be used as eGasoline, eDiesel, eHeating oil, eKerosene and eGas, and can fully replace conventional fuels. Thanks to their drop-in capability, eFuels can be blended with traditional fuels in various ratios. No significant changes need to be made to existing logistics, distribution and refueling infrastructures such as tank farms, tanker trucks, pipelines and filling stations.

The climate-neutral nature of eFuels stems from the use of renewable electricity during their production, with only the same amount of CO2 released during use as was sequestered during production. This makes them climate-neutral solutions in all sectors where conventional fuels are currently used, such as transport and building heating.

eFuels offer a solution to the twin challenges of the energy transition – the storage and transport of renewable energies. With their high energy density and the ability to be transported at ordinary temperatures and pressures, renewable energies can be produced economically worldwide and transported to where they are needed using existing technologies. The Global PtX Potential Atlas, published by the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy Systems Technology and supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, provides an overview of regions suitable for the production of eFuels. (Co2AI)