Like the sustainable fuel F1 cars are aiming to introduce
Formula 1 has no plans to change cars to fully electric motors, but is already working on the creation of biofuels that give them enough power and are friendly to the environment.
Changes in car engines are happening rapidly, and even Formula 1 (F1) is already working on a new and more environmentally friendly system.
The rules for 2022 are fast approaching and motorsport's road to sustainability is already mapped out. According to F1 technical director Pat Symonds, the organization intends to introduce sustainable fuels for its race cars by the middle of this decade. The goal is to provide an alternative to fossil fuels in the 2030s.
Today, F1 cars must use a 5,75% biofuel blend, and the 2022 car will be upgraded to a 10% ethanol blend called E10. This E10 is supposed to be a "second generation" biofuel, which means it's made from food waste and other biomass, not from crops grown for fuel.
What is biofuel?
"This word is used a lot, so we prefer to use the phrase 'advanced sustainable fuels'."
There are three generations of biofuels. He explains that the first generation was mostly food stocks, crops grown specifically for fuel. But this has not been sustainable and raises ethical questions.
Second generation biofuels use food waste, such as corn husks, or biomass, such as forest waste, or even household waste.
Finally, there is third generation biofuels, sometimes referred to as e-fuels or synthetic fuels, and these are the most advanced fuels. They are often referred to as direct fuels because they can be put into any engine without modification, while engines running on extreme ethanol blends, such as those used in Brazilian road cars, require modification.”
What fuel will be used in 2030?
By 2030, F1 wants to use third-generation biofuels in cars and has no plans to switch to all-electric motorsports. Instead, the synthetic fuel will run internal combustion engines, which will presumably still have some sort of hybrid component, as they do now.
These engines are already the most efficient units on the planet with a thermal efficiency of 50%. In other words, 50% of the fuel's energy is used to power the car rather than being wasted as heat or noise.
Combining sustainable fuel with these engines is a sporting dream come true.
:
