Neste, partner companies conclude eFuel research project

Photo: Neste Corp.

Renewable hydrogen produced by green electricity and carbon capture and utilization (CCU) play an important role in combating climate change.

Low-emission eFuels produced using these technologies are particularly suitable for segments that are difficult to electrify, such as aviation and marine.

A joint eFuel research project demonstrating high-temperature electrolysis (SOEC), carbon-capture and hydrocarbon-synthesis technologies has now come to its successful end, Neste announced Jan. 17.

During the three-year project, the development of synthetic eFuels towards commercial-scale production was accelerated.

The eFuel research project that has been funded by Business Finland and consortium partners and coordinated by VTT is part of the Neste Veturi ecosystem.

The project consortium of 15 partners covered all parties in the value chain from carbon capture to green hydrogen and fuel production, logistics, as well as users of the transportation fuels in aviation, road and marine transport.

The project successfully generated hundreds of kilograms of synthetic hydrocarbons intended for the production of novel sustainable transportation fuel.

The hydrocarbons were refined by Neste mainly into carbon-neutral synthetic eDiesel, which was tested on a diesel-powered tractor in late 2023.

During the project, technologies of the consortium companies were developed further, and the produced diesel burned more cleanly than fossil and renewable diesels in the current market.

These eFuels can be considered carbon-neutral, as they are produced using captured CO2 emissions and renewable hydrogen, effectively offsetting the carbon dioxide released during combustion in an engine.

“The research and development of Power-to-X technologies is one of our key focus areas,” said Dietmar Huber, an executive with Neste. “eFuels offer a way to expand the carbon-neutral transport-fuel pool beyond biomass-based renewable fuels to replace fossil fuels. In the aviation sector, specifically, where the constraints of battery range and weight pose challenges, the development of sustainable electric aviation fuels suitable for current aircraft and distribution infrastructure plays an important role in reducing the use of fossil fuels. It has been our pleasure to participate in the eFuel project, the results of which create a good foundation for continuing the development work.”

Juha Lehtonen, a VTT research professor who is also leader of the eFuels project, added, “I’m happy about the very successful results of the project. VTT together with industrial partners developed further technologies for green hydrogen production, carbon capture and eFuels synthesis and finally we successfully demonstrated the integration of these process parts and the production of eFuels. Furthermore, we were able to demonstrate the high quality of the produced paraffinic eFuel with low emissions in the field test. We also gathered and developed valuable information on the profitability and sustainability of eFuels production.”

Neste Veturi R&D program develops sustainable fuels and chemicals from renewable and recycled raw materials that have been difficult to utilize so far.

The raw materials and their related conversion technologies in focus are lignocellulosic residues, microalgae, novel vegetable oils, plastic waste, municipal solid waste, renewable hydrogen and CO2.

The program is cofunded by Business Finland.