LowC

Safe and sustainable Low-Carbon fuels for heavy-duty, aviation, and maritime sectors

Project objectives:

Ammonia and hydrogen are promising carbon-free alternative fuels for decarbonising the various transport sectors. However, biogenic fuels such as hydrogenated vegetable oil, methane or methanol can also contribute to reducing CO2 emissions. Similar to conventional fuels, undesirable nitrogenous by-products or particles are produced during combustion, which can be harmful to health and the environment. The aim of the LowC project is to comprehensively characterise and quantify the emissions from low-carbon and carbon-free fuels in the combustion process.

In order to asess these, representative combustion engines from shipping, commercial machinery and aviation are to be operated with conventional and alternative fuels. The resulting exhaust emissions (gaseous and solid in the form of particles) will be extensively chemically characterised and their impact on health will be analysed and evaluated using cell tests. The resulting findings will serve as a basis for the development of new technologies and political measures with the aim of improving air quality and reducing climate-damaging emissions. As part of this project, hydrogen, ammonia, green methanol and green methane, among others, will be evaluated at LKV as the most promising alternative fuels using engine tests on four different test engines.

 

LKV's contribution:

  • Development of suitable combustion processes for alternative fuels: ammonia, green methanol and green methane
  • Operation of the various engines with low- and zero-carbon fuels from the following sectors:
    • Shipping
    • Commercial machinery: on and off-road
    • aviation

 

Funding organisation: European Union (Horizon Europe)
Project duration: 01.02.2025 - 31.01.2029
LKV's Funding volume: €705,000

Responsible Employees:

Uwe Etzien
Oliver Hilke
Benjamin Stengel

Project Partnera:

Norwegian Institute of Public Health
University of Eastern Finland
University of Basel
University of Fribourg
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
Norwegian Meteorological Institute
Deutz AG (associated partner)