The available range of low-carbon renewable fuels is growing. Following on from R33 Blue Diesel, Bosch , Shell and Volkswagen have now created a low carbon gasoline. Its new fuel, called Blue Gasoline, also contains up to 33% renewable energy, guaranteeing a reduction in carbon emissions from the well to the wheel of at least 20% per kilometer traveled.
This means that just a fleet of 1,000 VW Golf VIII 1.5 TSI could save more than 230 metric tons of CO₂ per year, assuming an annual mileage of 10,000 kilometers each.
Shell will offset the remaining carbon emissions from the use of Blue Gasoline through certified offset agreements.
“We are pleased to present this counterpart to the R33 Blue Diesel. Our new fuel now also represents a major step forward for gasoline engines in terms of sustainability,” said Felix Balthasar, Specialty Fuels Manager at Shell.
The initial plan is to make the fuel available at regular stations throughout the year, starting in Germany.
“On the path to climate-friendly mobility, we must ensure that we leave no technical opportunity unexploited, starting with electromobility and ending with renewable fuels. Every particle of CO₂ we save can help us reach our climate goals”, explained Dr. Uwe Gackstatter, president of the Bosch Powertrain Solutions division.
“Blue Gasoline is another cornerstone in effectively reducing CO₂ emissions from the vehicle fleet,” added Sebastian Willmann, head of Internal Combustion Engine Development at Volkswagen. “Blue Gasoline’s high storage stability makes the fuel particularly suitable for use in plug-in hybrid vehicles. In the future, expanded charging infrastructure and larger batteries will mean that these vehicles will run predominantly on electric power and thus fuel will be able to remain in the fuel tank for longer periods of time.”
High sustainability standards
Blue Gasoline fuel complies with EN 228/E10 and even exceeds it in key parameters such as storage stability and boiling behavior. High-quality additives also keep the engine extremely clean and protect it against corrosion. This means not only that the fuel can be distributed through the existing network of filling stations, but also that it can be used in all new and existing vehicles for which Super 95 E10 gasoline has been approved.
The proportion of up to 33% of renewable energy is made up of naphtha or biomass-based ethanol, certified by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) system. One source of this naphtha is the so-called tall oil, a byproduct of the production of pulp for paper. But naphtha can also be obtained from other waste and residual materials.
Low carbon fuels
In the Blue Gasoline project, the three partners jointly defined the fuel specification to be achieved, taking into account engine requirements and sustainability. They subjected the product they developed to intensive testing on engine test benches and in test vehicles – with consistently positive results.
Bosch will debut Blue Gasoline at its company's filling stations in May 2021, starting with its facilities in Schwieberdingen, with a rollout at the company's filling stations at its Feuerbach and Hildesheim facilities scheduled for the course of 2021. The supply of conventional Super 95 E10 gasoline will then be phased out.
Since the end of 2018, R33 Blue Diesel is the only diesel that Bosch company filling stations offer for company cars and internal delivery vehicles. R33 Blue Diesel is also available at more and more regular filling stations in Germany. It is currently offered at eight gas stations across different brands nationwide, with more to follow.
No substitute
For Bosch, low-carbon and carbon-neutral renewable fuels will not replace electromobility, but rather complement it. In principle, the use of these fuels makes sense in all modes of transport, but especially in those for which there is not yet a clear and economic path to electrification.
In addition to ships and aircraft, this applies mainly to heavy goods vehicles and existing vehicles, but also to all vehicles with internal combustion engines or hybrid powertrains that are on the world's roads today or that will be built in the coming decades. To promote rapid market acceptance of these fuels, the focus is on renewable biomass and synthetic fuel components that can be blended into normal fuels in high proportions, in compliance with existing fuel standards.
By using Blue Diesel and Blue Gasoline, Bosch demonstrates that it is not just up to new vehicles to reduce CO₂ emissions from the transport sector: the existing fleet can also help achieve climate targets.
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