The editorial in the new InnoFuels newsletter puts it in a nutshell:
Technology alone is not enough for the successful ramp-up of reFuels. What is needed is the interaction of all players, coordinated processes and reliable framework conditions. In addition to reviews and outlooks on current events and new publications from the InnoFuels project, the newsletter shows why cooperation is crucial, what role internationalization plays - and how we can make further progress together.

How can the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) become a reality more quickly? The latest InnoFuels report from the aviation innovation focus provides around 50 pages of practice-oriented solutions that have been developed in collaboration with stakeholders from industry, research and politics. Readers are provided with sound insights into regulatory, economic and technological levers - including concrete recommendations for action to overcome existing market hurdles. A valuable basis for anyone who wants to actively shape the SAF transformation.

The bioliq® project at KIT demonstrated early on how residual biomass such as straw can be converted into synthetic fuel - a technological milestone that is also highly relevant for the InnoFuels platform project. The process chain comprises the shredding and drying of residual biomass, its thermochemical conversion via fast pyrolysis, the central gasification and purification of the synthesis gas and the subsequent chemical fuel synthesis. And all of this on an industrial scale. In this interview, project manager Prof. Nicolaus Dahmen looks back on the most important stages, challenges and successes of bioliq ®.

A new technical report from ISP Road&Rail summarizes how paraffinic diesel - especially HVO - affects the particle mass and particle number emissions of diesel engines. Both internal engine emissions and the effect of exhaust gas aftertreatment systems are taken into account. The paper provides important findings on engine and aftertreatment emissions and can thus support fleet operators, manufacturers and politicians in using the fuel, which has been officially approved since mid-2024, sensibly and responsibly as a climate-friendly option.

On April 2, the "Methanol-based fuels" symposium took place in Frankfurt am Main, organized by the "Production" team of the InnoFuels innovation platform. Experts from science and industry came together to discuss the current status of methanol-based fuels and the associated challenges. Key topics included the provision of renewable methanol and the processing of methanol into fuels, new business models for a successful market launch and research questions on further technological development.

DBFZ

As part of the InnoFuels workshop at the DBFZ, experts discussed the potential and challenges of renewable LNG in the transport sector. In addition to practical experience and current research activities, the focus was on the strategic role of LNG for sustainable mobility. The workshop took place on the occasion of the official commissioning of the new pilot plant for synthesized biogas (SBG), which will research innovative technologies for the production and use of renewable methane in the future. Further information, the agenda and presentation slides can be found under the link below.

At a workshop in mid-February, the focus this time was on scenarios for the market ramp-up of e-fuels in road transportation. Our project partner, Frontier Economics, had analyzed and evaluated studies from several institutes in detail on behalf of an association. The results provide valuable insights into the expected price development of a fuel mix of fossil and green gasoline and diesel in the coming decades - a crucial basis for planning the market ramp-up. The subsequent discussion based on the diverse experiences of the InnoFuels partners once again provided new impetus.

The latest issue of our newsletter is now available! Find out more about the latest developments in the InnoFuels project, the latest debates on the ramp-up of renewable fuels and exciting reviews of past workshops.

You can view or download the current issue directly here. Stay informed and register for free on our newsletter page!

You can now find a comprehensive glossary with around 100 technical terms from the world of renewable fuels and energy technologies on InnoFuels.de. Whether alcohol-based kerosene synthesis, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, liquefied natural gas, naphtha or water electrolysis - our directory offers you precise explanations of key topics and terms.

Best of all, the glossary is constantly being expanded so that you are always up to date. Take a look and be inspired!

At a recent event organized by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in Karlsruhe, the focus was on a highly topical issue: eFuels and their role in the energy transition. InnoFuels project manager Olaf Toedter gave a keynote speech aimed at explaining the complexity of the topic, dispelling common myths and providing a clear and well-founded presentation of the reality surrounding eFuels. The entire spectrum of topics was covered: from the terminology of fuels, technical dependencies and regulatory framework conditions for the market ramp-up to the current development of the reFuels ramp-up.

The InnoFuels platform project now has its own LinkedIn page! There you will find exciting news, project highlights and the opportunity to exchange ideas and network with the renewable fuels community. Our goal is to engage in many lively discussions, share knowledge and learn from each other. We warmly invite you to follow our page and share it with your network to further increase the reach of InnoFuels. We look forward to your support!

Discover our new section! In ‘Knowledge at a Glance’, you will find compact, well-founded information on current developments and conditions in the transport sector. Stay informed and use the clear summaries to quickly get up to speed on important topics. The first focus is on the legal requirements for the ramp-up of reFuels.

At the Rostock Large Engines Conference (RGMT) on 12 and 13 September, Dr.-Ing. Karten Schleef will describe the challenges facing the shipping industry and how the ramp-up of renewable fuels could advance the industry. The Chair for Piston Engines and Combustion Engines at the University of Rostock is co-organising the RGMT, which sees itself as an international forum for professional dialogue between legislators, researchers, developers and operators of large engines. This year, the InnoFuels project will also be represented with a stand.

A new publication from the Aviation Innovation Centre analyses the obstacles and challenges currently hindering the market ramp-up of SAF in Germany. The obstacles were identified in two stakeholder workshops in September 2023 and February 2024 and supplemented by literature research and expert interviews.

On 28 August, the German Biomass Research Centre (DBFZ) hosted an InnoFuels workshop entitled ‘Market assessment of SAF – Are we aware of all the possibilities of Book&Claim?’ Niels Dögnitz, a member of the organising team, talked about the background and objectives of the workshop in the run-up to the event.

This review examines the regulations, laws and industry standards that define the framework conditions for the market ramp-up of SAF. International, EU-wide and national regulations and plans are analyzed and the responsible institutions are presented and classified. The publication was produced by the Aviation Application Field, which includes the German Aerospace Center, CENA Hessen and the airline Condor.

KIT

Einen Tag nach dem ISP-Luftverkehrs-Workshop fand am 20.06. in Karlsruhe der InnoFuels-Partnertag statt. Dabei wurde deutlich, dass der intensive Austausch zwischen den verschiedenen Innovationsschwerpunkten entscheidend für den Erfolg des Projekts ist. Zudem zeigt sich immer klarer, dass die Beseitigung marktwirtschaftlicher Defizite als Schlüssel zur Beschleunigung des Hochlaufs angesehen wird.

Cena

Spannende Diskussionen, unterschiedlichste Sichtweisen und ein Ziel: Wir wollen nachhaltige Flugtreibstoffe attraktiver machen. Beim InnoFuels-Workshop zum Thema „Lösungsansätze für den Markthochlauf von Sustainable Aviation Fuels“ kam das geballte Wissen von Expertinnen und Experten aus allen relevanten Bereichen zusammen. Es wurden Lösungen und Maßnahmen speziell mit Blick auf Produktion, potenzielle Investoren, Regulatorik, Nachhaltigkeit und die Luftfahrt-Anwender diskutiert.

Im Rahmen des Gesamtkonzepts Erneuerbare Kraftstoffe der Bundesregierung sind ab sofort zwei sehr nützliche digitale Tools verfügbar: Zum einen ein Programmmonitor, der die wichtigsten Kennzahlen des Förderprogramms zur Entwicklung erneuerbarer Kraftstoffe darstellt. Zum anderen ein weiterer interaktiver Monitor, der alle global angekündigten Sustainable Aviation Fuels-Projekte (Stand: Mai 2024) darstellt. Beide Monitore bieten sowohl eine umfassende Karte über die globale Verteilung der Projekte als auch Informationen zu allen wichtigen Details.

Dirk Deckbar

Beim internationalen E-Fuels Dialog waren Vertreter aus Wissenschaft, Wirtschaft und Politik zusammen gekommen, um über die notwendigen Bedingungen für Skalierung und Investitionssicherheit zu beraten. Ausgerichtet wurde die Konferenz in diesem Jahr von Deutschland, Litauen und Japan. Die drei Länder hatten zuvor die sogenannte Berliner Erklärung zum Hochlauf der E-Fuels unterzeichnet. Beim anschließenden internationalen Dialog war auch InnoFuels-Projektleiter Dr. Olaf Toedter dabei.

Der CENA SAF-Outlook 2024-2030 liefert erstmals eine Bestandsaufnahme der aktuellen und prognostizierten SAF-Produktionsmengen bis 2030. Er zeigt, welche Verfahren bei der SAF-Produktion wann zum Einsatz kommen und wie der Entwicklungsstand (Härtegrad) der jeweiligen Vorhaben einzuschätzen ist. Dies geschieht vor dem Hintergrund der Prüfung, ob mit den angekündigten Produktionskapazitäten die Quoten auf nationaler und EU-Ebene erfüllt werden können. Hierfür wurden öffentlich einsehbare Quellen ausgewertet und mit eigens erhobenen Unternehmensdaten abgeglichen.

Sandra Göttisheim, KIT

Beim Besuch Wissings am 1. März 2024 auf dem Campus Nord des KIT ging es um aktuelle Projekte in der Mobilitäts- und Energieforschung. Der Minister besichtigte dabei auch das Energy Lab 2.0 und die Bioliq-Anlage. In beiden Pilotanlagen werden reFuels hergestellt.

„Power-to-Liquid-Verfahren sind ein wichtiger Baustein für die Mobilität der Zukunft. Sie werden dazu beitragen, unsere Klimaschutzziele zu erreichen. Um diese nachhaltige Transformation in den Bereichen Mobilität und Energie voranzubringen, brauchen wir Forschung, wie sie am KIT stattfindet“, sagte Wissing während des Besuchs.

3sat

Am 22. Februar beschäftigte sich das bekannte Wissenschaftsmagazin NANO mit den Klimazielen im Verkehrssektor und welche Rolle erneuerbare Kraftstoffe dabei spielen. Dabei wurden verschiedene Herstellungspfade der reFuels vorgestellt. Im Beitrag kommt auch reFuels-Projektleiter Olaf Toedter zu Wort. Thematisiert wird insbesondere, warum die eFuels trotz ausgereifter Technik immer noch nicht großflächig zur Verfügung stehen.

Das Potential von reFuels zur CO2-Reduktion im Verkehrssektor wird häufig unterschätzt. Dabei werden jedoch wichtige Aspekte außer Acht gelassen. Welche Chancen tatsächlich in reFuels stecken, und was an Infrastruktur, Regulatorik und gutem Willen notwendig wäre, damit Klima und Wirtschaft gleichermaßen profitieren, erklärt reFuels-Projektleiteiter Olaf Toedter im Interview mit dem Technikmagazin krafthand.