Audi produced diesel from air, water and electricity

Audi Research and Development in Dresden produced the first pilot batch of synthetic diesel fuel using only renewable energy, water and CO ₂ .

The fact that the Minister of Education and Scientific Research of Germany came to the presentation of the fuel personally indicates the importance of industrial production of e-diesel with complete refusal from oil. His car immediately refueled with new diesel fuel (with his consent).

The process of fuel production is not so complicated if there is "free" electricity (it is received from the sun and wind). First, water vapor is separated by high-temperature electrolysis into hydrogen and oxygen (at 800 ° C).
')


Then carbon dioxide is extracted from the air, which reacts with hydrogen in two stages at high temperature and pressure). First, it is reduced to CO, and then a synthetic analogue of oil is synthesized from CO and H ₂ . It is divided into fractions in the same way as conventional oil. The by-product, oxygen, is released into the atmosphere.





Unlike normal diesel, e-diesel has a transparent color.

Commercial promotion of the project will be engaged in a new startup Sunfire, created with the participation of Audi as an exclusive partner. According to the calculations of engineers, the cost of e-diesel will allow to sell it at a profit of 1-1.5 euros per liter, although the final price depends heavily on the cost of electricity. Though "green", it is still expensive.



The Dresden Experimental Plant plans to produce 160 liters of diesel per day over the coming months. At the next stage, a larger plant will be built.