The Role of Synthetic Fuels for a Carbon Neutral Economy

Abstract

Fossil fuels depletion and increasing environmental impacts arising from their use call for seeking growing supplies from renewable and nuclear primary energy sources. However, it is necessary to simultaneously attend to both the electrical power needs and the specificities of the transport and industrial sector requirements. A major question posed by the shift away from traditional fossil fuels towards renewable energy sources lies in matching the power demand with the daily and seasonal oscillation and the intermittency of these natural energy fluxes. Huge energy storage requirements become necessary or otherwise the decline of the power factor of both the renewable and conventional generation would mean loss of resources. On the other hand, liquid and gaseous fuels, for which there is vast storage and distribution capacity available, appear essential to supply the transport sector for a very long time ahead, besides their domestic and industrial roles. Within this context, the present assessment suggests that proven technologies and sound tested principles are available to develop an integrated energy system, relying on synthetic fuels. These would incorporate carbon capture and utilization in a closed carbon cycle, progressively relying mostly on solar and/or nuclear primary sources, providing both electric power and gaseous/liquid hydrocarbon fuels, having ample storage capacity, and able to timely satisfy all forms of energy demand. The principles and means are already available to develop a carbon-neutral synthetic fuel economy.

Belgian Energy Transition: What Are the Options?

“…Synthetic fuels are expected to play a key role to phase out fossil fuels [36]. Figure A1 offers an overview of the technology related to synthetic fuels, including the carbon dioxide layers.…”

Energy System Modelling of Carbon-Neutral Hydrogen as an Enabler of Sectoral Integration within a Decarbonization Pathway

“…The synthetic fuels are currently at least two or three times more expensive than the corresponding fossil fuels. Also, both carbon and hydrogen feedstocks have to be carbon neutral over their lifecycle to achieve carbon neutrality in the overall energy system [65].…”

The Acceptable Alternative Vehicle Fuel Price

“…It will lead to an inevitable increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide, greenhouse gases, and other toxic compounds (nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxide, non-methane organic gas, soot, etc.) which are hazardous to human health [2,3]. Therefore, the usage of hydrocarbon energy resources negatively effects climate change [4].…”