Synhelion's unique solar fuel technology
Вставка
- Опубліковано 29 сер 2024
- Synhelion uses the power of the sun to decarbonize transportation. We produce solar jet fuel, diesel, and gasoline, which can directly replace fossil fuels. ☀️⛽️
Our technology converts concentrated solar radiation into process heat beyond 1’500°C, making it possible to drive fuel production with solar heat for the first time. Our sustainable solar fuels are carbon-neutral as they only emit as much CO2 as went into their production. They are fully compatible with existing global fuel infrastructure and offer an economically viable, efficient, and scalable solution for clean, long-distance transportation.
Our technology can also be used to drive industrial processes such as cement manufacturing.
We believe in a globalized world, where people enjoy the freedom to travel sustainably and cultivate personal and professional relationships. As liquid fuels continue to be needed for travel, transportation, and freight, we need to shift to sustainable, cleaner alternatives. Our solar fuels contribute to improved global energy security and independence from fossil fuel sources. They close the carbon cycle and drive a world connected by clean, sustainable transportation. 🌍💛
Guten Abend! Добрый вечер! Удачного решения поставленных задач. Отличные перспективы для человечества.
Some back of the envelope calculations. Solar energy over a day is ~200GJ/hectare [1 hectare = 2.47 acre]. That is equivalent energy to ~32.5bbl of crude oil or 5800l of kerosene [1532 gallon]. The largest operating concentrated solar plant (Noor 3 , Morrocco) is ~550hectare [2.2 sq.mile], so the impinging energy is equivalent to ~18,000bbl of oil per day.
Let's assume 10% efficient. Then you'd need to use ~3100 km^2 at 10% efficiency to supply 1 million barrels of oil per day! At Noor-like cost ($800mill USD/550hectare) the 1million-barrel-per-day plant would cost ~$500Bill (half a trillion USD). Assuming 5% capital cost, and 20% annual operation and maintenance cost you'd be paying ~$340/barrel.
You'd really want to get the efficiency to ~33% to compete with crude oil, tho' of course there is the carbon advantage.
Seems very unlikely, but ... cool idea.
I read in one of their papers (by ETH Zurich & Synhelion persons) that they hope to get efficiency (solar to fuel) to 13% to 19% range based on the type of fuel. I'll wager that won't be competitive when you consider the capital and on-going costs.
Unfortunately, not a word about energy efficiency. How high is the energy efficiency with this developed system? Is the efficiency significantly higher than with conventional e-fuels?
Probably for a reason.
I'm generally not convinced when it comes to e-fuels.
That energy source is supposed to be CO2 neutral. Wind, Sun, some biomass and a little hydro...
The required surface / space to collect enough sun / wind... is mind blowing. And probably NOT environmentally friendly!
(That is if you don't wanna count nuclear.)
(even more so since electricity, thermal energy... for private /industry is needed too)
At the end one converts mostly solar / windenergy into fuel - what is lost due to efficiencies. Which is alot!
You make the Gas - You make the Oil - you refine the oil.
Let's assume each one of those steps with generous 70% efficiency.
0,7x0,7x0,7= and you have 34.3% total efficiency!
For e-fuel worth 40.000kj one needs to invest 120.000kj.
You wanna do this? You gotta do it globally and parallel! A country / a couple of countries spearheading this won't survive economically!
Question of required space/area remains...
I do understand that the production of syngas is a endothermic reaction but the Fischer-Tropsch process is highly exothermic. Therefore, highly integrated plants converting (bio-)methane into synthetic crude do not depend on a external heat source.
This is why I struggle to understand the added value of the integration of solar process heat into a potential future BTL/PTL plant.
The solar is to produce the F-T precursors, which is far more energy intensive than your 'highly exothermic 'F-T.
Solar cracking:
284J + 1.CO2 => 1.CO + (1/2).O2
572J + 2.H2O => 2.H2 + 1.O2
F-T:
-165J + (n)-alkane+ 1.CO + 2.H2 => (n+1) alkane + H2O
The lengthened alkane has an added ~620J of stored energy per mol CO.
So the energetics are: 856J of solar in, 165J released from F-T exothermy, ~620J stored in the fuel. I expect the missing ~71J (856-165-620) is perhaps the heat of formation of the 0.5 mol of O2 from the CO2 => CO - not certain.
How long last the thermal storage?
From where the CH4 comes from? Ahaaa, from fossil fuels...
I am no chemist. But from CO2 and H2O, you get carbon, oxigen or hydrogen... nothing new here.