New impulses for fuel research

Not only biofuels but above all e-fuels have the potential to secure individual mobility in the future, according to the consensus of the 6th meeting of the Fuels Joint Research Group (FJRG). This was co-organized by Professor Karl Huber.

An important part of the conference: Professor Karl Huber (left) and his colleagues honor young scientists for their projects (Photo: FJRG).

Everyone agreed on one thing: individual mobility is a personal freedom that must be preserved. In the opening statements by representatives of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), the Parliamentary Group on Automotive Heritage of the German Bundestag, and the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection. The speakers called on the audience to use sustainable fuels and at the same time to contribute to the public and political debate in an informed and recognisable manner. In essence, it is not about talking up or down the combustion engine. After all, it is not the engine that is the problem, but the fuel.

There was consensus that transport must be successively and continuously defossilised with green electricity and sustainable fuels. "This task is one of the greatest future challenges of our time and we can see today that science, industry, and parts of politics are working together to gradually leave the fossil age behind," summarised Professor Axel Munack, Managing Member of the FJRG. Another outcome of the conference is that, despite all scientific progress, the reality of people's lives must always take center stage. Openness to technology is not wanted by all social actors but is an essential prerequisite for maintaining a democratic Europe.

More than 90 people from science, business, politics, and the media met in Berlin at the FJRG conference to discuss the latest fuels for cars, lorries, ships, trains, aircraft, and for the police, fire brigade, THW, and German armed forces. The focus was not on saving the combustion engine, but on ensuring sustainable mobility.

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