HIF and Idemitsu team up to accelerate carbon-neutral eFuels production

eFuels company HIF Global and energy company Idemitsu Kosan have made a strategic cooperation agreement to accelerate the production of carbon-neutral eFuels.

According to the companies’ statement, the cooperation will focus on the purchase of eFuels by Idemitsu from HIF eFuels facilities worldwide, co-investments in HIF eFuels facilities and new facilities in Japan, and supply of recycled carbon dioxide from Japan for use in the eFuels production process.

HIF said that a month ago, Idemitsu leadership and a Japanese delegation travelled to southern Chile to witness the production of eFuels at the HIF Haru Oni Demonstration facility.

Cesar Norton, HIF Global CEO, said: “eFuels are available now to decarbonise existing cars, ships, and airplanes without any modifications to their engines. Our eFuels facility at Haru Oni in Chile is already producing carbon-neutral gasoline. We expect to begin construction on the first world-scale eFuels facility in Texas, USA, in 2024, and we are developing additional facilities in Chile, USA, and Australia, which are all well placed to serve partners in Asia.”

“Collaboration with companies with the global presence and resources of Idemitsu makes our plan to reach 150,000 barrels per day of eFuels production a reality. We look forward to advancing Idemitsu’s strategic objectives for carbon neutrality and delivering eFuels to help win the war on climate change.”

Hiroshi Tanaka, General Manager, Carbon Neutral Transformation Department, Idemitsu Kosan, said: “Idemitsu is exploring ways to ensure a stable energy supply in a carbon-neutral society in 2050. In particular, we believe that eFuels are one of the best ways to promote decarbonisation of mobility by utilising existing infrastructure, and we hope that eFuels will be widely recognised and used around the world as soon as possible.”

“Additionally, we are very pleased to be working with HIF, which aims to launch and supply the world’s first large-scale eFuel production facility, to explore strategic initiatives. We look forward to working together to accelerate decarbonisation.”

To remind, eFuels are made using electrolysers powered by renewable energy to separate hydrogen from oxygen in the water. The green hydrogen can be utilised together with recycled carbon dioxide to produce carbon-neutral eFuels, which are chemically equivalent to fuels used today and can therefore be dropped-in to existing engines without any modifications required.

In March this year, HIF selected technology major Siemens Energy to supply electrolysers to its new eFuel facility in Matagorda County, Texas, US.