German agency shapes the future of fuels

EnergieAgentur.NRW is the regional sustainable energy platform for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) in northern Germany.

A joint effort

Part of the state’s Ministry for Economic Affairs, Business and Energy, it was created when the NRW Energy Agency and NRW State Initiative on Future Energies joined forces in 2007. It supports and funds research and technical development in sustainable energy, including pilot projects and demonstrations, consultancy and training.

In recent years, EnergieAgentur.NRW has been extensively involved in sustainable mobility projects, including the fuels and drive systems of the future, as well as fuel cells and hydrogen – hence its hosting of the "Future-ready fuels and modern drive trains" event in Duisburg on 26 August.

The ins and outs

Dr. Frank Köster, the project manager of the future fuels and engines network at Energie Agentur NRW, shares the inner workings of the organisation with us:

What is EnergieAgentur.NRW, and what does it do?

"EnergyAgency.NRW is a strategic partnership with wide-ranging activities in the energy sector, from the funding of research, technical development, demonstration and market launch, to energy consultancy and continuous vocational training. We are essentially a public management consulting company. Today, there are 50 employees working at EnergieAgentur.NRW.

"One of our areas of focus in the network is 'Fuels and drive systems of the future.' In line with this, we created the Future Fuels Network three years ago by order of the NRW Ministry of Economic Affairs, Business and Energy, to further the development of the overall climate and energy strategy in NRW."

How does EnergieAgentur.NRW cooperate with organisations in other countries?

"EnergyAgency works for the North Rhine-Westfalien Government, which works in partnership with several other countries. Our partner country in 2007 was Switzerland; in 2009, our main focus will be on Korea.

"We are also particularly active in the German-Chinese Sustainable Fuel Partnership. This partnership is a joint declaration made in 2003 between Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport, Buildings and Urban Affairs (BMVBS) and China’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). Under the agreement, both countries agreed to draw up alternative, sustainable supply and technology concepts for the mobility sector, and to demonstrate their efficacy by building demonstration plants and developing and running vehicle fleets."

Tell us about the event at Duisburg on 26 August.

"The event, like all our events, aimed to aid the development of future fuel strategies, and facilitate projects in alternative fuels for transport. Speakers and presenters at the event included vehicle fleet operators, fuel producers and major manufacturers. There were around 150 participants.

"Our speakers addressed issues in areas such as fuels and engines, fuel products, natural gas (compressed natural gas), hydrogen supply and infrastructure, ethanol, gas-to-liquid, coal-to-liquid and biomass to liquid, and mineral oil products.

"The conference also covered engine and drive technology and the development and assessment of fuel scenarios from the producer to the filling station, regional aspects of fuel supply for fuels like vegetable oil and biogas, and the challenges of marketing new concepts in the region."

Are vehicle manufacturers themselves investing in R&D in these areas?

"Of course. At the moment, electric cars and plug-in-hybrids are at the top of manufacturers’ agendas. Concerning fuels, Shell is currently undertaking extensive research on GTL (gas-to-liquid) technologies. In cooperation with NRW and the Netherlands, Shell is looking to start projects with vehicle fleets in the Rhine-Ruhr-Area and the Randstad based on this synthetic fuel. We recently finished a feasibility study examining the necessary quantities of GTL fuels and the potential reduction in green house gas emissions."

How far has this technology developed in the last five years?

"Gas-to-liquid is presently our most state-of-the-art technology. Electric vehicle technologies have developed rapidly over the past five years; the first electric vehicles for customers are expected to come on the market in 2010."

What are the key challenges if new technologies are to achieve their potential?

"The key challenges are not new. It is about the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the reduction of our dependence on mineral oil, through continued innovation and new production systems for fuels and engines."

What are the next steps and plans for the future?

"Our aim is to establish NRW as an attractive location for sustainable vehicle fuels and drive systems, identify potential network partners, and analyse the value-added chain from fuel production to the consumer.

"We need to create a basis for expanding, settling and founding companies in NRW and creating long-term jobs in sustainable fuel technologies. We’re also working towards increased acceptance of sustainable vehicle fuels in cross-border transport."