Synthetic fuel
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'''Synthetic fuel''' or '''synfuel''' is any [[liquid fuel]] obtained from [[coal]], [[natural gas]], or [[biomass]]. It can sometimes refer to fuels derived from other solids such as [[oil shale]], [[tar sand]], waste [[plastic]]s, or from the [[fermentation (biochemistry)|fermentation]] of [[biomatter]]. It can also (less often) refer to gaseous fuels produced in a similar way.
==Processes==
The technology for transforming natural gas or coal into synthetic fuel was invented by Franz Fischer and Hans Trophsch in the 1920s. The Fischer-Tropsch process transforms gas derived from coal (or other substances) into liquid gas. The [[Fischer-Tropsch synthesis]] process is the best-known synthesis process and was used on a large scale in Germany during [[World War II]]. Other processes include the [[Bergius process]], the [[Mobil process]] and the [[Karrick process]]. An intermediate step in the production of synthetic fuel is often [[syngas]], a [[stoichiometric]] mixture of [[carbon monoxide]] and [[hydrogen]], which is sometimes directly used as an industrial fuel.
The process of producing synfuels is often referred to as [[Coal#Liquefaction_-_Coal-To-Liquids_.28CTL.29|Coal-To-Liquids]] (CTL), [[Gas to liquids|Gas-To-Liquids]] (GTL) or [[Biomass to liquid|Biomass-To-Liquids]] (BTL), depending on the initial feedstock. Synthetic crude may also be created by [[upgrader|upgrading]] [[bitumen]] (a tar like substance found in [[tar sands]]), or synthesizing liquid [[hydrocarbon]]s from [[oil shale]] and [[Syngas|synthesis gas]]: a mixture of [[carbon monoxide]] and [[hydrogen]].
==Commercialization==
[[Image:ElewatorWeglowyPolice.jpg|thumb|180px|right|Ruins of the [[Germany|German]] synthetic petrol plant (Hydrierwerke Pölitz – Aktiengeselschaft) in [[Police, Poland]]]]
===Sasol===
The leading company in the commercialization of synthetic fuel is [[Sasol]], a company based in [[South Africa]]. Sasol currently operates the world's only commercial coal-to-liquids facility at Secunda, with a capacity of {{convert|150000|oilbbl/d|m3/d}} [http://www.sasol.com/sasol_internet/downloads/CTL_Brochure_1125921891488.pdf]. Other companies that have developed coal- or gas-to-liquids processes (at the pilot plant or commercial stage) include [[Shell Oil Company|Shell]], [[Exxon]], [[StatoilHydro]], [[Rentech]], and [[Syntroleum]] [http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/8129/8129catalysis2.html]. Worldwide commercial gas-to-liquids plant capacity is {{convert|60000|oilbbl/d|m3/d}} [http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/pdf/issues.pdf], including plants in South Africa ([[Mossgas]]), Malaysia (Shell Bintulu) and New Zealand (Motor-fuel production at the New Zealand Synfuel site has been shut down since the mid nineties, although production of methanol for export continues [http://www.techhistory.co.nz/ThinkBig/Petrochemical%20Decisions.htm]. This site ran on the Mobil process converting gas to methanol and methanol to gasoline).
===Commercialization in the United States===
Numerous US companies ([[TECO Energy|TECO]], [[Progress Energy]], [[DTE]], [[Marriott International|Marriott]]) have also taken advantage of coal-based [[Synthetic Liquid Fuels Program|synfuel tax credits]] established in the 1970s, however many of the products qualifying for the subsidy (for example slurries or briquettes) are not true synthetic fuels since they are not the portable, convenient, end-user liquids that the credit was established for.{{POV-statement|date=December 2007}} The coal industry currently uses the credit to increase profits on coal-burning powerplants by introducing a "pre-treatment" process that satisfies the technical requirements, then burns the result the same as it would burn coal. Sometimes the amount gained in the tax credit is a major factor in the economic operation of the plant. The synfuel tax credit has been used primarily in this manner since the [[1980s oil glut|cheap gas prices of the 1980's]] killed any major efforts to create a transportation fuel with the credit, and its continuation is seen as a major "pork project" win for coal industry lobbyists, to the tune of $9 billion per annum.{{POV-statement|date=December 2007}}<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1167738,00.html A Magic Way to Make Billions - TIME<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>The total production of such synfuels in the US was an estimated 73 million tons in 2002.
The [[United States Department of Energy]] projects that domestic consumption of synthetic fuel made from coal and natural gas will rise to 3.7 million [[barrels]] per day in 2030 based on a price of $57 per barrel of high sulfur crude ([http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/pdf/issues.pdf Annual Energy Outlook 2006, Table 14, pg52]).
==Economics==
Synthetic fuels require a relatively high price of crude oil in order to be competitive with petroleum-based fuels without subsidies.{{Dubious|date=March 2008}} <!-- [[Coal]] says $35/barrel, which is below the current price. --> However, they offer the potential to supplement or replace petroleum-based fuels if oil prices continue to rise. Several factors make synthetic fuels attractive relative to competing technologies such as [[biofuels]], ethanol/methanol or [[hydrogen]]:
* The raw material (coal) is available in quantities sufficient to meet current demand for centuries
* It can produce gasoline, diesel or kerosene directly without the need for additional steps such as [[Catalytic reforming|reforming]] or [[Cracking (chemistry)|cracking]]
* There is no need to design new vehicles or convert current ones to use a different fuel
* There is no need to build a new distribution network
==Environmental concerns==
One issue that has yet to be addressed in the emerging discussion about large-scale development of synthetic fuels is the increase in [[primary energy]] use and [[carbon emission]]s inherent in conversion of gaseous and solid carbon sources to a usable liquid form, assuming the energy used to drive the process comes from burning coal or hydrocarbon fuels. Recent work by the [[United States]]' [[National Renewable Energy Laboratory]] indicates that full fuel cycle greenhouse gas emissions for coal-based synfuels are nearly twice as high as their petroleum-based equivalent. Emissions of other pollutants are vastly increased as well, although many of these emissions can be captured during production. Emerging [[Carbon sequestration]] technologies have been suggested as a future mitigation strategy for greenhouse gas emissions. {{Fact|date=January 2008}}
Liquified coal emits twice as much carbon dioxide as burning oil, so [[carbon sequestration]] is proposed to prevent an adverse impact on [[greenhouse gas]] emissions.<ref>[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12314966 Administration Backs Making Liquid Fuel from Coal ''National Public Radio'']</ref>
However, [[biomass gasification]] technology may offer a less carbon-intensive alternative. Biomass-powered synthetic fuel plants may become technologically and economically-convincing energy possibilities for a [[carbon-neutral economy]]<ref>
[http://www.rsnz.org/topics/energy/ccmgmt.php#2 "Carbon cycle management with increased photo-synthesis and long-term sinks" (2007) Royal Society of New Zealand]
</ref> in the future, although there are currently problems in scaling up the process to commercial volumes<ref>[http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/postpn293.pdf Transport biofuels, UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, (August 2007) Number 293]
</ref>
Hybrid hydrogen-carbon processes have also been proposed recently<ref>
{{
cite journal | author = R. Agrawal, N. R. Singh, F. H. Ribeiro and W. N. Delgass | title = Sustainable fuel for the transportation sector | year = 2007 | journal = [[PNAS]] | volume = 104 | issue = 12 | pages = 4828-4833 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.0609921104
}}
</ref> as another closed-carbon cycle alternative, combining [[clean electricity|'clean' electricity]], recycled CO, H<sub>2</sub> and captured CO<sub>2</sub> with biomass as inputs as a way of reducing the biomass needed.
==See also==
{{EnergyPortal}}
* [[Coal liquefication#Liquefaction|Coal liquefication]]
* [[Fischer-Tropsch process]]
* [[Bergius process]]
* [[Karrick process]]
* [[Syngas]]
* [[Gasification]]
* [[Methanol to gasoline]]
* [[Biofuel]]
* [[Gas to liquids]]
* [[Synthetic oil]]
* [[Synthetic Fuels Corporation]]
* [[Synthetic Liquid Fuels Program]]
* [[Cracking (chemistry)|Cracking]]
* [[Oil shale extraction]]
* [[Pyrolysis]]
* [[Methanol economy]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
* Synfuel Plants Expand In W. Va (Coal Age, Feb 1, 2002)
==External links==
* [http://www.synthetic-fuels.org/index_en.php Alliance for Synthetic Fuels in Europe]
* [http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/pdf/issues.pdf DOE EIA Annual Energy Outlook 2006, section on synthetic fuels]
* [http://www.chemlink.com.au/gtl.htm Gas to liquids technology worldwide, ACTED Consultants]
* [http://www.ncpa.org/pd/budget/pd083001c.html Synfuel Producers Hit Paydirt!] (NCPA Policy Digest) - an analysis of synfuel subsidies in the USA
* [http://www.janes.com/defence/air_forces/news/jdw/jdw060925_1_n.shtml US DoD launches quest for energy self-sufficiency] Jane's Defence Weekly, 25 September 2006
* [http://www.oilsandsdiscovery.com Alberta Oil Sands Discovery Centre]
* [http://www.oilsandsdiscovery.com/oil_sands_story/pdfs/bitumen.pdf Bitumen and Synthetic Crude Oil]
* [http://www.world-ctl2008.com/ World CTL 2008 Conference] 3 & 4 April, 2008 - Paris
* [http://www.lanl.gov/news/index.php/fuseaction/home.story/story_id/12554 Synthetic Fuel Concept to Steal CO2 From Air]
* [http://cordis.europa.eu/fetch?CALLER=EN_NEWS&ACTION=D&SESSION=&RCN=29147 EU project to convert CO2 to liquid fuels]
* [http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/227 Fourth generation synthetic fuels using synthetic life. Lecture by Craig Venter]
[[Category:Coal]]
[[Category:Petroleum]]
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