What are synthetic fuels? The entire world is now preparing to shift towards cleaner and greener fuels to lower dependence on fossil fuels for regular transportation requirements. A majority of passenger vehicles will gradually move towards using electric batteries and motors. However, newer technology may lead to possibilities for combustion engines being used in the future as well. This is nothing but synthetic fuel for cars. They are also known as e-fuels in some cases. 

It is quite possible to generate fuel for combustion engines, majorly replacing conventional diesel and petrol. This means that some of the prevailing varieties may include synthetic diesel oil, synthetic gas, and even synthetic oil for generators, along with synthetic petrol. Moreover, according to experts, the procedures for creating these fuels have a strong sense of carbon neutrality. As a result, they may make it possible for trucks, cars and vans with combustion engines to survive in future years without any environmental harm. 

Porsche is one of the biggest brands taking up the cause of synthetic fuel, partnering with Enel, Siemens, AME, and ENAP for building a unit for generating e-fuels. The plant aims to produce approximately 55 million litres annually by the year 2024 and 550 million litres by the year 2026. These figures are only for prototyping and testing purposes. Porsche is planning to use these fuels for motorsports purposes, production vehicles, and its Porsche Experience Centre. 

Synthetic fuel may help keep vehicles moving without essentially having to disrupt the current systems and infrastructure. However, some countries are still unable to make use of electric cars owing to various factors. Hence, e-fuels with lower carbon are the solution in this regard. Moreover, since local emissions are generated via combustion engines, and e-fuels need a large amount of energy, e-fuels may ultimately be used in limited volumes after most vehicle applications switch to electricity. 

Learning more about e-fuels

Petrol and diesel are created with oil, although carbon and hydrogen atoms make up their overall chemical structure. These may be ensured by taking carbon from air and hydrogen contained in water. It will take massive energy to accomplish this task, although it is possible to come from renewable solar or wind power. However, since the procedure takes out carbon from the surrounding atmosphere, it will help offset the emissions generated from engines that are burning fuel. Since fuel stores energy, using renewable sources for creating energy is always a suitable method of using planetary resources.

Synthetic fuel usage should thus come with various benefits in a particular sector, including more autonomy over energy, a gateway for low-cost energy, and an alternative to using regular petrol and diesel. Synthetic fuel is renewable, although the environment-friendly quotient will be dependent on the procedures inherent in making it. A lot of energy is required for the procedure, using other non-renewable fuels or electricity, which may negate the eco-friendly aspect again. 

Currently, no cars make use of synthetic fuel for running since it is still commercially unavailable. However, companies are steadily working on developing synthetic fuels, including Porsche and even Mazda, which has joined up under an e-fuel group working on this technology. The core idea behind popularising synthetic fuels is that existing diesel/petrol vehicles may use these fuels without disruptions. Synthetic fuels in their present versions will require mixing with diesel and petrol, quite like ethanol.