PUNTA ARENAS, Chile.— Although for a large part of the global automotive industry, electrification is the future of the automobile, the truth is that there are 1.3 billion cars, and more to come in the coming years, that are burning and will continue to burn. We have been burning fossil fuels for several decades, so eFuels can be a great solution for reducing C02 emissions.
In this context, Porsche has partnered with other brands to establish the company Innovative Fuels (HIF), which deals with the development and production of synthetic fuel, with two basic objectives: to use renewable natural energy sources in its production and process for fuel that is also neutral in emissions polluting
For the first point it was decided to use the energy of the wind, for this reason it is located in Punta Arenas, in the Chilean Patagonia (in the southern region), where the storm winds reach up to 120 km/h throughout the year. The wind turbine, more than 70 meters high, produces the energy necessary to operate the plant and the production processes.
With an investment of more than 74 million dollars and located on an area of 5.7 hectares, this plant produces synthetic fuel in the following way: First, with the energy of the wind, the electrolysis process is carried out, which separates water into hydrogen and oxygen. with this, Hydrogen Green (Haru Oni) is obtained, which is mixed with CO2 (taken from the atmosphere), through a synthesis process, from which eMethanol is obtained, a synthetic fuel that can be used as a final product or well; Turn eGasoline into vehicle or jet fuel.
These eFuels are chemically equivalent to the fossil fuels we have today, so they are fully compatible with existing machines and infrastructure, allowing their full introduction once fully tested.
Although they are carbon neutral, these eFuels generate polluting emissions into the atmosphere like any other burning fuel.
And the key is in the production process, where these production plants capture CO2 from the atmosphere to produce synthetic fuels, and this is where the polluting emissions from this type of fuel are destroyed.
CIRCUMCIDES CHILE
With this in mind, it was time to take a few Porsche Panameras through Chilean Patagonia, which already had a full tank of HIF eFuel, which is 93 octane manufactured at this plant.
One of the things that caught our attention the most was the handling of the car, which was excellent, as with a conventional gasoline load, we never felt that our Panamera was performing in a surprising manner or with the engine, that is, although we were. It should be noted that the food can be safely used without any modification of the machine, there is always a doubt that this is not true in reality.
“It is clear that synthetic gasoline will be a great complement to electric mobility, since neither the car nor the gasoline systems need the necessary adaptations.
“Sustainability must be viewed from a holistic perspective, since it is estimated that more than 70% of all cars that have been produced in its history are still on the road by Porsche alone and will continue to be for decades to come. with this type of vehicle.” they can continue to use fuels, but now in either way, they will be classics that will increase the times of sustainable electromobility”.
Haru Oni is just a pilot project, which will later be expanded to begin producing synthetic fuels on a larger scale, to produce a global product. In this pilot phase, it is expected to produce 130,000 liters of this eFuel annually and it is expected that later more factories in Santiago de Chile, Houston, Sydney, Berlin, and in 2024 the manufacturing of another factory in Matagorda County will begin; Texas
In the first race, this fuel will be used in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup category and in the Race Center Experience. By 2025, projects in Chile are expected to produce 55 million liters per year and by 2027 production will reach 550 million liters per year, with the hope of being able to market this synthetic gasoline in 2023.
We’ve been sold electrification as the only future of the automobile, but there are companies that are looking to have different options that help reduce their vehicle’s carbon footprint in a variety of ways in the coming years.
