HIF Global produces first liters of synthetic gasoline in Chile

HIF Global, the world’s leading eFuels company which is backed by German automaker Porsche, announced the production of the first liters of synthetic gasoline at the Haru Oni Demonstration Plant in southern Chile.

Chile’s Minister of Energy, Diego Pardow, headed the ceremony where a Porsche 911 was loaded with synthetic fuel, starting a new era for the transport sector, in which fuel made with renewable power, green hydrogen, and recycled CO2 could displace conventional fossil fuels without modifications to engines and infrastructure required.

“It is key that the new green hydrogen industry favors the creation of employment and improves people’s quality of life. This way, we will be providing certainty for a much more sustainable future. And HIF’s Haru Oni plant has that symbolic value. One that allows us to look to a future where other forms of energy are possible. We need these moments of optimism at a time when so many forces are holding us back on our climate goals,” said Pardow.

“First synthetic fuels at Haru Oni is a milestone in the fight against climate change, not only for Chile but for the entire world. A little over a year ago we had the groundbreaking of this dream that today becomes a reality: to produce eFuels with the power of the Patagonian wind. It is a concrete solution, here and now, to the main challenge of humanity. We are proud to take this first step here in Punta Arenas because we know it will be decisive for the future of the next generations,” said César Norton, president and CEO of HIF Global.

Norton thanked the support of authorities, partners, and local communities for the development of this demonstration facility. 

“We are facing a global challenge which is why Haru Oni gathers the unparalleled experience of German, Italian, American, Chinese and Chilean companies in the service of a better future. Our commitment is to scale this industry and build large-scale commercial eFuels facilities all over the world in a sustainable way,” Norton said.

“We are very interested in importing climate-friendly hydrogen derivatives and fuels. The demand is enormous – especially in the fields of aviation and shipping, but also to decarbonize existing vehicle fleets. The Chilean-German energy partnership launched in 2019 offers great potential to cooperate on climate protection and the indispensable transformation of the fuel industry. We firmly support this groundbreaking project,” said he Minister of Transport of the State of Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany, Winfried Hermann.

The eFuels production process

Haru Oni will produce green hydrogen via a process called electrolysis using renewable energy from the wind. The facility will also capture CO2 from the atmosphere and use a process of synthesis to combine the CO2 and hydrogen to produce eFuels, including carbon-neutral methanol (eMethanol), carbon-neutral gasoline (eGasoline) and carbon-neutral Liquefied Gas (eLG). The eFuel creates a way for existing infrastructure to become carbon neutral by continuously reusing and recycling the CO2.

In this first stage, Porsche will use the eFuel for its Porsche Experience Centers and the Porsche Mobil 1 Super Cup. Haru Oni will produce 350 tons per year of eMethanol and 130,000 liters per year of eGasoline. The facility expects to start commercial operations in March 2023.