German 'green' kerosene plant eyes climate-friendlier flights

Politicians hailed the opening of a "green" kerosene plant in Germany on Monday as a step towards decarbonising the airline sector and meeting the country's climate targets.

The plant in Werlte, northern Germany, is the "first to produce carbon-neutral kerosene on a commercial scale" said Dietrich Brockhagen, the president of Atmosfair, the non-profit organisation behind the project.

"For Germany to become carbon neutral, the airline industry has to make its contribution," German Environment Minister Svenja Schulze said at the inauguration.

The synthetic fuel is made through a combination of hydrogen produced by electrolysis with carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as well as from a biogas plant in the region.

The electricity used for the energy sapping process will come entirely from wind and sun, making the process climate neutral.

Green kerosene represents one means to decarbonise the aerospace sector, which is responsible for two percent of global CO2 emissions, according to the NGO Climate Action Network.

The fuel is 10 times more expensive than normal kerosene and has a long way before becoming a competitive alternative.

Likewise, production at the plant, which will begin in the second half of 2022, will be limited to one tonne a day at first.

German national carrier Lufthansa is among the first clients and has signed a five-year agreement to purchase fuel produced at the plant.

"We see the key to a sustainable reduction in our emissions in the sector very clearly in the research and use of synthetic, sustainable air fuels," Lufthansa Cargo CEO Dorothea von Boxberg said in a statement.

Germany wants green kerosene to account for 0.5 percent of overall fuel consumption in the airline sector -- or around 50,000 tonnes a year -- by 2026.

Chancellor Angela Merkel described the opening of the factory as an "important event".

But Germany's production capacity would need to be "enlarged significantly" and the green technology developed further to reach its targets, Merkel said in a video message.

fcz-sea/mfp/jm

Lufthansa

Related Links
Aerospace News at SpaceMart.com

Tweet

Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.

SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly

paypal only

SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once

credit card or paypal

NASA issues contracts to mature electrified aircraft propulsion technologies
Washington DC (SPX) Oct 01, 2021
NASA has selected two U.S. companies to support its Electric Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EPFD) that will rapidly mature Electrified Aircraft Propulsion (EAP) technologies through ground and flight demonstrations. Through the EPFD program, NASA seeks to introduce EAP technologies to U.S. aviation fleets no later than 2035, supporting short-range and regional commercial air travel, as well as single-aisle seat transports. The awards under the EPFD project announcement are hybrid firm fixe ... read more