Press

Cheaper alternatives, high energy demand for production, questionable environmental footprint and possible obstacle to transforming the transport sector: There are manifold reasons not to use synthetic fuels produced with electricity in cars and trucks. This is the conclusion of a new discussion paper by Fraunhofer ISI. Based on scientific findings, it takes a critical view of the German government’s recent decision that plans to allow e-fuels a major role in achieving climate neutrality in the transport sector in the future.

A new study by Fraunhofer ISI on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport in Germany compared the total costs of various passenger car drives and reveals a clear, long-term cost advantage for electric vehicles over ICE cars, even though electric cars have significantly higher purchase costs to start with. If electric cars are charged using self-generated power, this can lead to a significant cost advantage over a longer period of time. A fact sheet summarizes all the results of comparing the different drive types.

Hydrogen is one of the pillars of the energy transition. However, there is still uncertainty about its specific applications and the scope of hydrogen use. A new study by Fraunhofer ISI addresses this issue and looks at the price-elastic demand for hydrogen in sectors such as industry, transport and energy conversion. This study was conducted as part of the “HyPat - Global Atlas of H2 Potential” project, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Specialized simulation models are used to depict alternative ways of achieving the climate goals.

The construction of new LNG terminals with the aim of reducing energy dependence on Russian natural gas raises concerns that the associated fossil fuel infrastructure could hinder the transition of the energy system to renewable energy sources and thus the energy transition. Therefore, the question of convertibility of these LNG terminals for a later use with renewable energy carriers such as liquid hydrogen or ammonia is of particular importance. A new study by Fraunhofer ISI on behalf of the European Climate Foundation (ECF) addresses this question and finds that there is much uncertainty around the proposed conversion of LNG terminals to import liquid hydrogen or ammonia.