Chilean consortium pushes forward with e-fuel plant
The aim is to demonstrate how Chile’s industrial emerging hydrogen producers could form a fully integrated value chain.
A coalition of Chilean energy and industrial players has taken a significant step toward establishing an e‑fuel production hubs, partnering with German Power‑to‑Liquids specialist INERATEC to assess the feasibility of a synthetic fuel plant in the Biobío region.
The initiative, driven by ARAUCO, Abastible, Copec, and Copec Wind Ventures, centers on producing e‑fuels by combining biogenic CO₂ captured at ARAUCO’s industrial operations with green hydrogen generated locally. The aim is to demonstrate how Chile’s industrial emitters and emerging hydrogen producers could form a fully integrated Power‑to‑X value chain.
INERATEC has completed the project’s basic engineering study, contributing its technology for the two‑step PtL process of syngas production and fuel synthesis. The proposed facility would generate synthetic hydrocarbons for mobility, chemical use and specialty applications, offering a scalable alternative to fossil‑based fuels.
“Showing how local industrial CO₂ sources could be combined with hydrogen is a crucial step,” said INERATEC co‑founder and CEO Tim Böltken. He described the Biobío studies as laying the groundwork for commercial e‑fuel production in one of the world’s most promising hydrogen markets.
The collaboration builds on concepts first explored during Energy Challenge 2023 and later refined under the H2Uppp framework.
