Daily Slideshow: Audi Looks to Sustainable Diesel as a Synthetic Fuel
Audi is seen, in many respects, as a leader in the automotive industry. From the design of its vehicles to the power of its engines, to the technology it includes in each one of its cars, the German luxury vehicle maker constantly seeks to go down the path less traveled when it comes to automotive solutions.
Case in point – Audi is making synthetic fuels by pulling hydrogen from water and mixing it with carbon dioxide. The e-fuels are so successful, in fact, they’re close to carbon neutral, per the company.
Click on to learn more.
How the e-fuel is made
In order to create the e-fuel, there is a very specific process – diagramed above. It uses electrolysis to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The oxygen is then released into the air, while the hydrogen is combined with carbon dioxide to make hydrocarbons.
The carbon dioxide can be drawn from the atmosphere. These hydrocarbons are then separated to produce the synthetic diesel fuel, as well as waxes which, per Audi, can be used by the food, cosmetics, and chemical industries.
>>Join the conversation on Sustainable Diesel as Synthetic Fuel right here in Audiworld.com.
Audi has partners in this venture
Audi has partnered on the project with German chemical reactor technology company Ineratec and German-Swiss electricity producer and supplier Energiedienst. The company expects to begin building the factory in early 2018 and plans to begin delivering the e-diesel within the year.
Initial projections show that the facility has a planned capacity of 105,669 gallons of fuel per year.
>>Join the conversation on Sustainable Diesel as Synthetic Fuel right here in Audiworld.com.
The e-fuel initiative comes on the heels of some controversy
While diesel is tremendously popular in Europe, it was recently at the center of a scandal that affected Audi and its parent company, Volkswagen. Audi cars were among those accused of containing devices designed to evade emissions tests in the United States and Europe.
This negative PR fueled speculation that diesel engine cars may begin to lose popularity among its consumers, or otherwise manufacturers would be unable to meet the tight emission standards they were trying to skirt.
>>Join the conversation on Sustainable Diesel as Synthetic Fuel right here in Audiworld.com.
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