September 13 (Renewables Now) - A German-Chilean consortium behind the Haru Oni green hydrogen-based e-fuels project on Friday launched the construction of a pilot plant in Punta Arenas, southern Chile, Germany’s Siemens Energy AG (FRA:ENR) has announced.

Siemens Energy serves as the systems integrator on the project, which will blend wind-powered electrolysis, C02 removal from the atmosphere and the methanol-to-gasoline technology to produce e-fuels.

German sports car maker Porsche AG will use the fuel from the plant in its combustion engine vehicles.

On the Chilean side are project company Highly Innovative Fuels (HIF), an affiliate of Chilean power producer Andes Mining & Energy (AME) leading the project, energy utility Enel Chile and Chilean state-owned oil company Empresa Nacional del Petroleo SA (ENAP). US oil-and-gas multinational Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) is also participating.

In the pilot phase, the Haru Oni plant will produce around 130,000 litres of e-fuels in 2022. In the next two phases, the production capacity will reach some 55 million litres per year by 2024, and around 550 million litres by 2026.

Siemens Energy said it has already started preparatory work for the next major commercial phase of the project.

The Haru Oni pilot received a grant from the German federal ministry of economic affairs and energy. The plant will start production in mid-2022.

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