Researchers have successfully produced the world’s first “solar” jet fuel as part of an EU-funded project called SOLAR-JET.
Concentrated light, or simulated sunlight, is used to convert carbon dioxide and water into “syngas” (a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide) in a high temperature solar reactor. The syngas is then converted in liquid hydrocarbon jet fuel by using the “Fischer-Tropsch” process.
The project is still at an experimental stage, but already demonstrates a carbon-neutral path to producing aviation fuel, and has the potential to produce any other type of hydrocarbon fuel in a more sustainable way. The next phase of the project is to assess whether the technology will work on a larger scale and at competitive cost.
European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn said:
“This technology means we might one day produce cleaner and plentiful fuel for planes, cars and other forms of transport. This could greatly increase energy security and turn one of the main greenhouse gases responsible for global warming into a useful resource.”
The four-year project was launched in June 2011 and received €2.2 million (£1.8m) in EU funding.
