An Alliance for Life
Volkswagen is a founder member of the Alliance for Synthetic Fuels in Europe
The Alliance for Synthetic Fuels in Europe (ASFE) was launched in Brussels at the beginning of March. At the first conference attended among others by EU commissioner Günther Verheugen, the car manufacturers Volkswagen, DaimlerChrysler and Renault along with the oil companies Shell and Sasol Chevron presented their vision of sustained mobility in Europe. They emphasised the strategic importance of so-called SynFuels when tackling the challenges in the energy supply and environmental protection sectors. The members of the ASFE have committed themselves to the continued development of engine technology and the supply of clean fuels. The aim is to contribute to sustained mobility with more efficient engines and low-emission synthetic fuels.
“The objectives of the ASFE include the promotion of synthetic fuels and the support of a range of activities in the field of sustained mobility including research, projects demonstrating the benefits of synthetic fuels, for example, vehicle trials, cooperation with governments and raising public awareness,” said Franz-Josef Paefgen, general power of attorney, Volkswagen AG.
For better air and a secure supply of energy
The ASFE members all believe that synthetic fuels have the potential to reduce the negative impact of road traffic on the environment in the long run. SynFuels are already helping reduce emissions today. Several oil producers are already adding synthetic fuel obtained from natural gas to their petrol. “In central areas of energy supply and environmental protection, synthetic fuels can make an essential contribution. This includes the climate change, the reduction of power consumption in view of limited fossil resources, the diversification and securing of the energy supply and not least improving the air quality,” said Dr. Thomas Weber, board member of DaimlerChrysler.
As the demand for energy rises, concerns about the future availability of conventional fuels are also increasing. It is therefore important that we do not just improve the energy efficiency and promote the use of renewable energy, but also investigate the alternative fuel options that are available today. Among these alternatives, synthetic fuels are particularly interesting as they could bridge the gap between conventional fuels and long-term solutions like hydrogen, for example. As the technology is developed further, the significance and the share of SynFuels will continue to increase. They generally indicate the economic potential of alternative fuels and play an important role on the road to sustained mobility with hydrogen-powered vehicles.
Biomass is the Future
Synthetic fuels are a new generation of fuels that are free of sulphur and aromatics.
They are produced from natural gas (GtL), coal (CtL) or biomass (BtL) using the Fischer-Tropsch process. GtL and CtL are furthest developed commercially and already offer a practical alternative fuel today.
A series of facilities are being constructed or planned and the availability of the fuel will rise constantly from 2006. The BtL method does need further research and development, however. Its advantage is, however, the possibility of using European resources.
The greenhouse gases produced by synthetic fuels made from natural gas are comparable with those from conventional petrol and diesel. However, the fuels obtained from biomass, so-called SunFuels, can contribute to reducing greenhouse gases by up to 90 percent. Since SynFuels can be used in pure form or as additives for today’s diesel engines within the existing distribution and service station network, they represent the cheapest way of reducing dependency on crude oil.