Fuel from sunlight: First industrial solar-to-fuel plant could transform transport
Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute have found a way to turn climate-damaging CO2 into something useful. In a high tower equipped with mirrors, sustainable synthetic fuels are produced from water, CO2 and sunlight. These can then be used to fuel cars or planes, helping to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
The project, called Material Advancements for Solar Fuels Technology (MAfoS), is being carried out at the Centre for High Temperature Lightweight Structures (HTL) of the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research (ISC) in Germany. The aim is to build the first industrial solar-to-fuel plant.
A pilot plant already exists in the solar tower of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) in Jülich, operated by Swiss project partner Synhelion. The solar-to-fuel plant uses the power of the sun to produce synthetic fuels from water and carbon dioxide (or methane).
We have always wanted to expand into the fields of renewable energies, energy efficiency, power-to-X and power-to-fuel with our classic Fraunhofer HTL topics of high-temperature coatings and materials as well as ceramic fibres. In this project, we are proving that we are a strong cooperation partner for small and medium-sized companies, especially in this field, thanks to our customer orientation and proximity to the market, as well as our specialist expertise.
- Arne Rüdinger, Head of the Ceramic Fibers Department at Fraunhofer HTL
At the heart of the Jülich plant is a solar tower where mirrors focus sunlight and convert it into heat. This heat is then used to cause the starting materials to convert in a reactor at high temperatures and under high pressure. This produces the desired fuel, for example kerosene. One challenge of the project is the special materials that have to withstand the high heat of up to 1,500 degrees Celsius and the water vapour.
It is also great that our research can make such an important contribution to reducing CO2 and thus to the sustainable transformation of our society.
- Jonathan Maier, MAfoS project manager
