A Clever Move
Volkswagen supports special professorship
The era of second-generation biofuels is long underway. There are, however, still a lot of technical and organisational obstacles to be overcome before we actually arrive at a situation which allows large-scale distribution of these fuels. This calls for contributions to be made by science. Which is why Volkswagen has sponsored a new special professorship to facilitate the further development of fuels made from biomass. In early September 2006, the president of the Technical University Braunschweig, Prof Jürgen Hesselbach, and the head of Group research at Volkswagen, Prof Jürgen Leohold, signed an agreement to this end which sees Volkswagen making a contribution of one million euro in support of such research at the university.
“We consider the framework conditions for a transfer from academic research on alternative fuels to practical industrial application to be good,” said Prof Leohold at the signing ceremony in Braunschweig. Volkswagen has been working on concepts for the industrial production of next-generation biofuels since the year 2000, and has co-operated with other carmakers, biotech companies and oil corporations in the process.
Yield is a key factor
In collaboration with Choren, a Saxony-based company which specialises in gasification technology for biomass, as well as other partners, Volkswagen has already developed its SunFuel, a fully synthetic diesel fuel. The goal now is to forge stronger ties between industry and the scientific community so as to come up with environmentally less damaging alternatives to petroleum as a source of energy. The carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted during the process of petroleum combustion is exacerbating the greenhouse effect. A growing number of motor vehicles, increasing vehicle power and the resulting rise in fuel demand mean change is urgently needed. The benefits of SunFuel arise from the fact that it is made of biomass. In contrast to conventional fuel, it enables the CO2 cycle to be closed almost completely and greenhouse-gas emissions to be reduced by around 90 per cent.
The mission of the recently established special chair is to develop other fuels which will help to secure sustainable energy supplies. At the TU Braunschweig, this research is being undertaken by the Faculty for Life Sciences at the Institute for Ecological Chemistry, with the primary focus of its work directed at the special field of “Sustainable Chemistry and Energy Research”. Yield is an essential consideration when developing such new fuels. The scientists at the TU are therefore attempting to make use of as many parts of the crop plants utilised as possible – and SunFuel serves them as an exemplary model.
Professorship for an initial term of five years
Other items of research on the books are to look into the opportunities and risks associated with the application of new regenerative fuels, to analyse emissions and to examine all the other environmentally relevant conduct of the substances used. “Alternative fuels are an essential part of the Volkswagen Fuel and Drive Strategy,” Prof Leohold explains. “Joint research by industry and academia is aimed at creating the foundation for new applications and thus for the more extensive use of such fuels.” Other partners in this unique co-operation include the Federal Research Agency for Agriculture and the Association of the German Biofuel Industry, which backs the special professorship with an additional 50,000 euro per annum. Sponsorship of the chair has been set up for an initial period of five years.
“We consider the framework conditions for a transfer from academic research on alternative fuels to practical industrial application to be good,” said Prof Leohold at the signing ceremony in Braunschweig. Volkswagen has been working on concepts for the industrial production of next-generation biofuels since the year 2000, and has co-operated with other carmakers, biotech companies and oil corporations in the process.
Yield is a key factor
In collaboration with Choren, a Saxony-based company which specialises in gasification technology for biomass, as well as other partners, Volkswagen has already developed its SunFuel, a fully synthetic diesel fuel. The goal now is to forge stronger ties between industry and the scientific community so as to come up with environmentally less damaging alternatives to petroleum as a source of energy. The carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted during the process of petroleum combustion is exacerbating the greenhouse effect. A growing number of motor vehicles, increasing vehicle power and the resulting rise in fuel demand mean change is urgently needed. The benefits of SunFuel arise from the fact that it is made of biomass. In contrast to conventional fuel, it enables the CO2 cycle to be closed almost completely and greenhouse-gas emissions to be reduced by around 90 per cent. The mission of the recently established special chair is to develop other fuels which will help to secure sustainable energy supplies. At the TU Braunschweig, this research is being undertaken by the Faculty for Life Sciences at the Institute for Ecological Chemistry, with the primary focus of its work directed at the special field of “Sustainable Chemistry and Energy Research”. Yield is an essential consideration when developing such new fuels. The scientists at the TU are therefore attempting to make use of as many parts of the crop plants utilised as possible – and SunFuel serves them as an exemplary model.
Professorship for an initial term of five years
Other items of research on the books are to look into the opportunities and risks associated with the application of new regenerative fuels, to analyse emissions and to examine all the other environmentally relevant conduct of the substances used. “Alternative fuels are an essential part of the Volkswagen Fuel and Drive Strategy,” Prof Leohold explains. “Joint research by industry and academia is aimed at creating the foundation for new applications and thus for the more extensive use of such fuels.” Other partners in this unique co-operation include the Federal Research Agency for Agriculture and the Association of the German Biofuel Industry, which backs the special professorship with an additional 50,000 euro per annum. Sponsorship of the chair has been set up for an initial period of five years.