Audi has opened the pilot plant for the production of Audi E-Diesel in Dresden. The Sunfire plant requires carbon dioxide, water and electricity as raw materials.
- Carbon dioxide is extracted directly from the air using a direct capture technology developed by the Swiss Climeworks partners.
- In an independent process, an electrolysis unit divides water into hydrogen and oxygen. That unit works with electricity obtained sustainably.
- Hydrogen is reacting with carbon dioxide in two chemical processes that are carried out at a temperature of 220 degrees Celsius and with a pressure of 25 bars, to produce a liquid composed of hydrocarbons that are called “blue crude” (blue oil). In this process, efficiency reaches up to 70 percent.
The pilot plant can produce approximately 160 liters of “blue oil”, of which almost 80 percent can be transformed into synthetic diesel fuel, sulfur free and aromatic compounds. This fuel will take the name of Audi E-Diesel.
This production process causes the Audi e-Diesel to have a high number of cetano, which means that it becomes easily inflamed. Its chemical properties allow it to be used as a conventional fuel, so it can be mixed with fossil diesel in any proportion.
Audi combines two innovative technologies for e-Diesel production: the capture of the CO2 of the environment and the “Power-To-Liquid” process. This project is financed by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and preceded by a two -year preparation and research phase.
Audi and sustainable fuels
Audi's activities in the development of fuels without CO2 emissions go beyond the association with Sunfire; In fact, the Audi E-Gas plant already produces synthetic methane (Audi e-Gas) began in a similar way, and the Audi A3 Sportback G-Tron drivers can reproduce their vehicles with this fuel. Audi is also carrying out research for the production of Audi E-Gasolina in collaboration with the French company Global Bioenergies. And a joint project with the American company Joule is also underway to produce synthetic fuels Audi e-Diesel and Audi e-e-stanol with the help of microorganisms. Audi also offers electricity produced ecologically for audi A3 Sportback e-tron users.
