Synthetic fuels: what are they and where do they come from?

John C Ruth; Gregory Stephanopoulos

doi:10.1016/j.copbio.2023.102919

Synthetic fuels: what are they and where do they come from?

Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2023 Jun:81:102919. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.102919. Epub 2023 Mar 28.

Authors

John C Ruth¹, Gregory Stephanopoulos²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 21 Ames St., Rm. 56-469, Cambridge, MA, USA.
² Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 21 Ames St., Rm. 56-469, Cambridge, MA, USA. Electronic address: gregstep@mit.edu.

PMID: 36996730
DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.102919

Abstract

Synthetic fuels are increasingly discussed when considering solutions to climate change mitigation. However, it is rather unclear what synthetic fuels are and their scope in replacing regular fossil fuels. Here, we propose a definition for synthetic fuels and discuss their classification based on production methods. These technologies are considered based on their scalability and extent of sustainability, along with the advantages they provide for overcoming renewable energy challenges.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Fossil Fuels*
Renewable Energy*

Substances

Fossil Fuels