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Innovation in formulating lower-carbon fuels
Aramco is a leading energy and chemicals company with oil and gas production as its primary business. The fuel mentioned here is not yet commercially available.
Our advanced research and development centers around the world are investing in lower-carbon fuel formulations that are compatible with the existing transport infrastructure, from engines to turbines. These new fuels aim to help reduce atmospheric carbon emissions: a win-win for our everyday commute and the climate.
Powering the transition for our commute and the climate
Exploring a lower-carbon fuel formulation for the track…
Aramco is working with motorsport teams and competitions to further test potential lower-carbon drop-in solutions.
In September 2022, we announced a partnership with Formula 2 and 3 to explore the introduction of advanced sustainable fuels. With 55% sustainably-sourced Aramco biofuel used in 2023 and 2024, F2 and F3 cars will use 100% biofuel in 2025. Crucially, these lower-carbon solutions are ‘drop-in’ fuels — meaning they can seamlessly replace traditional fuels in existing internal combustion engines.
In collaboration with F2 and F3, we aim to demonstrate the potential of next-generation fuels, leveraging our global network and technological expertise to help drive innovations that could shape the future of sustainable transportation.
“The goal to switch to lower-carbon fuel can only be achieved through the partnership with a company of the scale of Aramco, which is determined to produce advanced sustainable fuel in the near future.”
Bruno Michel, CEO, FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3
…before moving it to the road, sea, and air
We are investing significantly in innovation efforts to develop synthetic fuels in the future because we believe that blending them with conventional gasoline, diesel, and jet fuels can rapidly improve the lifecycle emission performance of passenger vehicles, trucks, ships, and planes, without the need to invest in new engines or turbines. Creating a bridge to more sustainable transportation.
The global automotive manufacturer Stellantis recently concluded that 24 engine families in European vehicles sold since 2014 — representing 28 million vehicles on the road — are ready to use advanced drop-in synthetic fuels, without any powertrain modification.
“We are delighted to have worked with Stellantis in testing the compatibility of lower-carbon fuels with today’s vehicles. These results show that synthetic fuels, made from green hydrogen and CO2, can serve as a drop-in solution for existing cars. Produced through a low-carbon pathway, they can play an important role in decarbonizing transport and supporting an orderly Energy Transition.”
Amer Amer, Transport Chief Technologist, Aramco
Partnerships that power progress
Aramco has partnered with companies across the value chain to advance the development of a reliable and affordable lower-carbon fuel product range.
We seek to establish a production pilot plant in one of Saudi Arabia’s most resource-rich locations. The abundant renewable energy resources in NEOM make the city’s energy and water company (ENOWA) an attractive partner to build and operate this demonstration plant, which will aim to produce lower-carbon synthetic gasoline.
Our opportunities extend even further, including regions where renewable fuel targets may create markets for lower-carbon fuels. We chose to partner with Repsol, the Spanish multinational energy and petrochemical company, to explore the production of low-carbon synthetic diesel and jet fuel in Bilbao, Spain.
“Our relationships in motorsports allow us to test these advanced sustainable fuels under extreme conditions, which helps to validate their potential. This testing is crucial and requires careful planning, as investments in such technology are both time- and resource-intensive, requiring careful planning.”
Amer Amer, Transport Chief Technologist, Aramco
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1 Source: IEA Technology Report, September 2022
2 Source: FIA Formula 2 press release