Powerfuels: Status and Prospects (Green Energy and Technology)

Powerfuels are the subject of intense and often contentious current discussions within industry, research, politics, as well as the overall society. These discussions primarily revolve around the practical and technical feasibility of power-to-X processes and applications, their economic viability, the respective environmental benefits, the contribution to climate protection as well as the social acceptability. Thus, the primary aim of this book is to provide a comprehensive overview of various aspects, diverse considerations, and different perspectives regarding the future role and utilization of power-to-X pathways on a global scale. This encompasses the challenge of sourcing necessary educts / feedstock options, their conversion into different products and product groups, exploring the possibilities of using these electricity-based fuels / hydrocarbons in various markets, and establishing suitable framework conditions for viable and sustainable markets in the years to come. These objectives are achieved through a collection of papers contributed by experts actively engaged in various fields related to power-to-X.

Dr. Nils Bullerdiek pursued his studies in Aviation Systems Engineering and Management in Bremen (Germany), Santiago de Chile (Chile), and Phoenix (USA), and in Aviation Transport Engineering in Brunswick (Germany). From 2018 to 2023, he worked as a Research Associate at the Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics (IUE) at Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH). His primary research focus revolved around the deployment and operational utilization of kerosene-based Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). He was engaged in several research projects (e.g., DEMO-SPK, ALIGHT EU) and undertook various scientific consulting tasks (e.g., for BMVI, aireg e.V.). In his doctoral thesis, he conducted detailed evaluations of the opportunities, requirements, and constraints for a future scale-up of renewable aviation fuels.
Dr. Ulf Neuling has been working at the Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics at Hamburg University of Technology as Research Associate since 2014. After finishing his Ph.D. on the topic of biokerosene production in 2018 he led the research group on renewable fuels. In his research, he worked on the assessment of different production pathways for renewable fuels for aviation, in particular bio- and e-SAF. Related to these topics he was involved in different national and EU research projects as well as in the scientific consultancy for the German Ministry of Transport in the context of the “Mobilitäts- und Kraftstoffstrategie” (mobility and fuels strategy) and different scientific consulting tasks for the Aviation Initiative for Renewable Energy in Germany e.V. (aireg).
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Kaltschmitt graduated in Petroleum Engineering in 1986 and received his Ph.D. (Doctor Engineer) in the field of renewable energies in 1990. Afterward he headed a research group in the field of biomass/renewable energy at Stuttgart University where he did his Habilitation. After a research stay at King's College/London in 1999 and at the University of California at Berkeley in 2000 he became Managing Director of the Leipziger Institute for Energy. In 2006 he has been promoted to Full Professor at Hamburg University of Technology where he is heading the Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics (IUE). Between 2008 and 2010 he was in parallel also Scientific Managing Director of the German Biomass Research Centre. He published more than 20 books and more than 300 articles in scientific magazines in the field of renewable energy with a special focus on biomass and biofuels. He gave also more than 500 presentations in scientific conferences and seminars.