synthetic fuel
Lab-made combustible liquid
Synthetic fuel is fuel manufactured from sources other than crude petroleum—typically coal, natural gas, or biomass.
The process converts these feedstocks into liquid hydrocarbons that can substitute for gasoline, diesel, or jet fuel.
Germany produced synthetic fuel from coal during World War II when cut off from oil supplies.
Interest revives whenever petroleum prices spike or energy independence becomes a priority: The military is investing in synthetic fuel to reduce dependence on foreign oil.
- World War IISecond global military conflict
- methanolToxic one-carbon alcohol
- pyrolysisHeat-driven molecular breakdown
- hydrogenationBonding hydrogen to compounds
- gasificationConverting carbon materials to vapor
reforming · carbon neutrality · carbon footprint · greenhouse gas reduction · carbon dioxide · algae · carbon capture · green hydrogen · refinery · gasoline · combustion · crude · feedstock · octane · kerosene · renewable · diesel · pipeline
- fueldiesel, gasoline, petroleum, crude oil, petrol
- fuelsgasoline, diesel, coal, gas, petrol
- alternative fuelsbiofuel, bioethanol, biodiesel, biofuels, ethanol
- liquid fuelsdiesel, gasoline, petrol, kerosene, heating oil
- biofuelsbiodiesel, bioethanol, biofuel, biogas, biofuels
- Synfuelse-fuels, gas-to-liquid, gasification, hydrogenation