A research project conducted by Germany’s Fraunhofer IEE Institute and partners aims to explore the potential production of green hydrogen from concentrated solar power (CSP) in Chile and pave the way for the development of large-scale production facilities in the Latin American country.
Concentrated solar power system in northern Chile. Image by Frank Dinter, Fraunhofer Chile
The researchers will investigate technical questions, as well as the economic, logistical and socio-economic aspects of scaling hydrogen production. Their work will support the construction of a pilot production facility for methanol and dimethyl ether (DME) in the country.
As part of the Power-to-MEDME-FuE project, the scientists will seek to develop catalysts for electrolysis and will pursue innovative technological approaches in an effort to make production cost-effective and efficient.
Moreover, they will compile data for the development of transportation logistics, specifically examining the application of DME and other Power-to-X fuels both within Chile and for potential export purposes.
As part of a related initiative, industrial gases maker Linde plans to build a pilot plant in northern Chile that will be powered with electricity generated by a local concentrated solar power plant and will produce green methanol or dimethyl ether (DME) in the megawatt range. These products can be used as a fuel in the transport sector and the local mining sector. The DME produced at the plant will initially be used as fuel in existing fleets for heavy-duty and off-road transport.
A Chilean cement factory will supply the carbon dioxide required for methanol and DME synthesis in the pilot plant.
“We are conducting research along the entire value chain for the production of PtX products and are not only optimizing the production process chain, but also evaluating possible local and international sales markets and business models,” says project manager Ramona Schroeer from Fraunhofer IEE.
The research project is coordinated by Fraunhofer IEE. Other participants include the Fraunhofer Institutes ISE, IMM, ISC/HTL, IAP, IKTS and Fraunhofer Chile as well as the Chair of Thermodynamics of Mobile Energy Conversion Systems at RWTH Aachen University and the RILLL Research Institute on Lifelong Learning.
Germany’s education and research ministry is funding the project with over EUR 11 million.
