Green Fuel Pursuit: Hydrogen, Enea, and Polymers in the Quest for Sustainable Aviation Fuel
In a significant stride towards sustainable aviation, the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) and Politecnico di Milano have teamed up to produce e-kerosene, a synthetic fuel aimed at reducing carbon emissions from the aviation sector.
The research plan, falling under the Operational Research Plan (Por) on renewable hydrogen, focuses on developing e-kerosene through a unique combination of renewable energy and carbon capture technologies. This approach is particularly relevant as aviation is challenging to decarbonize through direct electrification alone.
The project's key elements include:
- Synthetic e-kerosene production: Utilizing green hydrogen (produced via electrolysis powered by renewable energy) and captured CO2, the plan aims to synthesize kerosene-like fuels compatible with existing aircraft engines.
- Integrated hydrogen and carbon management: The project envisions a closed CO2 loop where carbon captured from the atmosphere or industrial sources is converted into fuel, significantly reducing net emissions.
- Alignment with EU climate targets: The research supports the EU’s Fit for 55 package, aiming to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, and REPowerEU strategies promoting energy independence and renewable fuels in transport, especially aviation.
- Multidisciplinary scientific collaboration: The partnership leverages expertise in chemical engineering, renewable energy systems, atmospheric and environmental modeling to optimize fuel production pathways and assess lifecycle emissions.
Researcher Claudia Bassano from the Energy Accumulation Laboratory at ENEA stated that the data collected in the pilot plant will be used in a commercial process simulator to optimize the production process, both in terms of plant layout and operating conditions.
Giulia Monteleone, head of the energy production, storage, and use division at ENEA, acknowledged that the technologies behind the production processes of new synthetic fuels are still at a low level of development. However, she expressed optimism about the project's potential to address various technological challenges, including the production, storage, distribution, and final uses of green hydrogen.
The research plan is funded by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security with Pnrr funds for an amount of 110 million euros. This initiative marks a significant step towards meeting the European Union's ambitious environmental targets for aviation, which include the use of at least 2% of green fuels by 2025 and up to 85% by 2050.
[1] ENEA Press Release
[2] Politecnico di Milano Press Release
- The environmental science industry and Politecnico di Milano are collaborating to produce e-kerosene, a synthetic fuel aimed at reducing carbon emissions from the aviation sector, as part of the Operational Research Plan on renewable hydrogen.
- The research focuses on developing e-kerosene using a unique combination of renewable energy and carbon capture technologies, which is relevant considering the challenge of decarbonizing aviation through direct electrification alone.
- The project, fully funded by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security with Pnrr funds for €110 million, aligns with the EU’s Fit for 55 package and REPowerEU strategies, promoting the use of renewable fuels in transport, specifically aviation.
- Researchers from ENEA and Politecnico di Milano are working together on the project, leveraging multidisciplinary scientific collaboration in chemical engineering, renewable energy systems, atmospheric and environmental modeling to optimize fuel production pathways and assess lifecycle emissions.
- The data collected in the pilot plant will be used to optimize the production process, both in terms of plant layout and operating conditions, and the findings could have a significant impact on the health-and-wellness aspect by reducing emissions from the aviation sector.
- The success of this project could potentially lead to advancements in renewable energy technology, contributing to the industry's overall goal of mitigating climate change and promoting a sustainable transport system.
