Ships - Source: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/service/uba-fragen/wie-viele-schiffe-sind-weltweit-auf-den-meeren
Airplanes - Source: https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/3545/umfrage/prognostizierte-groessen-der-flugzeugflotten-nach-weltregionen/
Construction machinery – Source: https://offhighwayresearch.com/
eFuels applications
The current figures for means of transport around the world – as well as for the heating market in the EU – are as follows:
Throughout the world, more than 1.4 billion vehicles are currently powered by conventional internal combustion engines. In addition, there are around 27,000 aircraft and 90,000 ships worldwide for which there is no sensible technical alternative in sight. These existing fleets will continue to form the basis for mobility in the coming decades. Moreover, around 20 million heating systems in the EU alone operate with conventional liquid and gaseous fuels. Given this reality, the sustainable solution for climate protection is to use low carbon fuels.
One goal is to be able to use existing fleets in a climate-neutral way in the future. eFuels are a solution for many vehicles and means of transport, both now and in the future. eFuels are actually sustainable in two ways: Firstly, they are produced from renewable electricity and release only as much CO2 as was previously captured for the production of eFuels. Secondly, they can be used in existing vehicles and infrastructures, including the global filling station network. eFuels can also be used in the chemical industry to operate in an almost climate-neutral manner.
Applications
By using eFuels – initially as an admixture to conventional fuels and combustibles through to their complete replacement – we are creating a climate-neutral solution for several sectors.
Energy transition in road transport thanks to eFuels
Energy transition in road transport thanks to eFuels
This is the sector with the greatest potential for eFuels: they can be used as eGas – in compressed and liquid form – eDiesel and eGasoline (initially as an admixture to conventional fuels, ultimately as a replacement for them) as well as in all internal combustion engines.
A large part of the global vehicle population will continue to be powered by gasoline and diesel engines beyond 2030. This applies to passenger cars as well as light commercial vehicles – and above all, to road haulage for which electrification is not an economically or technically viable option because more than 60% of truck freight is daily transported between 300 and 1,000 km. More than 1.4 billion vehicles are using an internal combustion engine - thereof 300 million in Europe. eFuels offer a climate-neutral solution for the use phase, as they can be reliably used in modern internal combustion engines and under very different geographical and climatic conditions throughout the world.
With eFuels, driving cars with conventional or hybrid gas, diesel and gasoline engines could already be CO2-neutral today. And there is a further advantage: by using the existing network of filling stations, refineries, pipelines, tank farms and tank lorries, eFuels can be introduced quickly to the market and thus made easily available to consumers. An already depreciated infrastructure can be further used. eFuels can therefore make a valuable contribution to significantly reducing CO2 emissions from road traffic - in addition to electrification.
Find more information about our political recommendations for the road sector here: More.
Shipping: entering a climate-friendly future with eFuels
Due to stricter limits and the ambitious climate protection goals of the IMO (reaching net-zero GHG emissions from international shipping by or around 2050) and by the EU (FuelEU Maritime, EU-ETS), the shipping industry has embarked on a path to a climate-friendly future. Currently, about 90% of world trade is transported by sea using large container ships. More than 90,000 vessels exist. However, to transport large loads over long international routes, what is needed is an energy carrier with a low own weight and a high energy density. In the long term, it is hard to envisage an international maritime sector that doesn’t rely on liquid or gaseous fuels. Heavy fuel oil, which shipping uses almost exclusively at present, can be replaced 1:1 by eFuels in future.
Find more information about our political recommendations for the maritime sector here: More
eFuels in aviation
Instead of relying on conventional kerosene, in future aircraft can be refueled with eFuels, thus making climate-friendly flight possible. For aviation, where long distances and weight restrictions are often key factors, a basic requirement is that the fuel must have a high energy density. Electrification will only play a minor role. eKerosene is a by-product of the Fischer-Tropsch process and can be produced via methanol route in future as well.
As drop-in fuel, eFuels can easily replace conventional kerosene – initially as an admixture and then as a replacement. This does not require any adjustment to aviation engines. More than 27,000 aircrafts exist on a global scale - with increasing trend.
Find more information about our political recommendations for the aviation sector here: More
eFuels instead of heating fuels
Heating buildings is responsible for a quarter of all EU carbon emissions. Substantial CO2 reductions can be achieved in the building sector and in home heating, initially by means of an admixture of greenhouse gas-neutral liquid and gaseous fuels to conventional heating fuel and then carrying on through to the complete replacement of conventional heating fuel. Either heating oil or fossil gas can be replaced step by step.
This is all possible without any conversion costs, since eFuels can be used both in efficient modern oil-and-gas-powered condensing boilers and in connection with renewable energies. Homeowners can continue to use their existing modern heating systems without required investments on insulation e.g. for heating pumps while synthetic fuel contributes to climate protection.
eFuels in the
chemical industry
Mineral oil and fossil gas are not only used in the transport and heating markets: it’s also the most important raw material for the chemical industry. For example, German refineries supply more than 70% of the source materials for use in the chemical industry. This corresponds to about 20% of the total mineral oil demand in Germany. If fossil refineries are not converted to eFuel refineries the supply of the chemical industry is in danger and an important industries could mitigate to other regions. But these raw materials for the chemical industry can be produced synthetically using the production process for eFuels. By using eFuels instead of fossil-based raw materials, entire industrial sectors can benefit from this climate-friendly conversion.
Two-wheelers and eFuels
Another sector with a large existing fleet are two-wheelers. In Europe, there were over 39 million motorcycles and scooters on the roads in 2019 (source: ACEM). Motorized two-wheelers with conventional combustion engines will still play an important role in the foreseeable future, especially since they will not disappear from European roads overnight. They are small, light and efficient vehicles used for daily commuting or by special services for emergencies. This is especially true for market segments that are the most difficult to electrify, such as leisure two-wheelers.
Pure eFuels also achieve pollutant reductions without the need for costly exhaust gas aftertreatment on the vehicle. But eFuels are also a necessary alternative for long ranges or in areas with a lack of infrastructure. The sector also employs over 300,000 people (source: ACEM), whose jobs can be protected. When combined with electric models, carbon-neutral fuels can address the existing stock, sustainably powering future models while protecting the existing production chain. This can reduce emissions and make the green transition socially acceptable.
Non-Road Mobile Machinery
Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM), such as tractors, excavators, cranes or chainsaws, is essential for construction, agriculture, logistics and defence. Due to the wide range of operational demands, this sector cannot be fully electrified.
Studies show that for high-powered applications, combustion engines remain indispensable but with eFuels, both existing and new machines can be operated in a climate-neutral way.
Since many machines remain in service for decades, the existing fleet will continue to generate CO₂ emissions far into the future. eFuels enable significant emission reductions in this stock, provide a reliable solution under demanding conditions, and in many cases deliver a better climate balance than purely electric alternatives. Together with electrification, they are key to decarbonising this energy-intensive sector.
Find more information about our political recommendations for the road sector here: More