Audi presented a plan called “CO2 neutral Mobility
Wednesday, June 1st, 2011Along with the expected electric and hybrids in this plan are intended to make models with engines TCNG.
These are engines that can work except compressed natural gas and synthetic methane. This synthetic methane will be no problem to substitute CNG, that already contains 90% methane. It is interesting that Audi plans to produce own this synthetic methane. The product will be called e-gas.
While other fuels based on natural gas imported through the raw material from third parties, now Audi’s attempt to be at least partially independent. “Germany is looking at how the road environment to produce electricity to be ready for the end of the era of fossil fuels, which is not far away. We are looking for a substitute for oil, which is now a major source for production of fuels, “says Audi.
AUdi company as a branch of the automaker, which deals with the installation of wind farms in the waters of the North Sea. It wind farms will play an important role in the production of synthetic methane. Part of the wind energy power plants will be given to the national grid, thereby Audi will “buy” electricity used by their electric cars.
The rest will be used to produce hydrogen by electrolysis. It is from hydrogen will finally produce this synthetic methane or e-gas. Production will take place in the city Werl, in addition to hydrogen will be used and carbon dioxide, which is a waste product from the plant for biogas production.
Planned a year in factories in Werl to produce 1000 tons e-gas. For its production using 2800 tons CO2. Overall, E-gas would be quite complicated consumption. For it will first make electricity from wind, then it will produce hydrogen from which together with the CO2 will be made synthetic methane or E-gas.
The project of Audi for the production of F-gas is trying to solve the inability to “store” electricity, turning it into a gas that can be stored in numerous gas storage. Furthermore, in the manufacture of synthetic methane liquidate large quantities of waste CO2.
In Audi are aware of the complexity of the matter, because unless goods must think and transportation. The company explained that for them-gas is an intermediate step towards a hydrogen infrastructure while the company takes very seriously the future of hydrogen cars. So far, hydrogen cars have been slow because of lack of infrastructure and still expensive hydrogen production. When these issues resolved, probably F-gas fuel will become superfluous.