Zero (corporation)

Zero Petroleum Limited
Company typePrivate
IndustryTechnology
Founded2020[1]
FounderPaddy Lowe and Professor Nilay Shah
HeadquartersLondon
Area served
United Kingdom
OwnerPrivately-owned
Websitewww.zero.co/

Zero is a manufacturer of non-biological e-fuel claimed to be carbon-neutral[2][3][4] co-founded by former Formula One engineer Paddy Lowe.[5][6] Its product is designed as an alternative to fossil-based fuels and a more scalable sustainable alternative to waste and bio-fuels.[7]

In 2021, the Royal Air Force used its fuel to achieve a World Record first flight powered by synthetic fuel.[8] In July 2022, Zero entered a new partnership with the Royal Air Force to move towards mass production of sustainable aviation fuel.[9][10][11]

History

Paddy Lowe, founder and CEO

In March 2020, Zero Petroleum Limited, now known simply as Zero, was founded by Paddy Lowe and Nilay Shah. Lowe is a former Formula One race engineer. Shah is the Head of Imperial College London's Department of Chemical Engineering and received an OBE for services to the decarbonisation of the UK economy in 2020.[12]

In September 2021, Zero received capital from a Glasgow-based investment syndicate with investors including Damon Hill.[13][14][15]

On 2 November 2021, the company's synthetic fuel was used by the Royal Air Force to achieve the world's first successful flight using only synthetic fuel.[16][17] The fuel was manufactured in Orkney using locally generated wind, and tide and wave energy.[18] The aircraft, an Icarus C42 microlight, was flown around Cotswold Airport.[19]

In February 2024, Zero signed a two-year sponsorship deal with Sauber Motorsport.[20]

Technology

Zero uses a specialised version of Fischer-Tropsch to manufacture target fuels (gasoline, kerosene and diesel). Lowe claims that, when manufactured using renewable energy, synthetic fuel can be used as a carbon neutral or carbon negative direct drop-in replacement for fossil fuels to ensure the continued use of legacy vehicles.[21]

It is manufactured using a process known as petrosynthesis, in which carbon dioxide and hydrogen are combined to create hydrocarbons. The process involves direct air capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and the electrolysis of water to obtain hydrogen.The carbon dioxide is converted into carbon monoxide in a Reverse Water-Gas Shift (RWGS) reactor and this combines with the hydrogen to create a ‘Syngas' that is fed into a Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reactor to create the final hydrocarbon products. The use of renewable energy throughout the process results in the production of carbon neutral and carbon negative hydrocarbons.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ "ZERO PETROLEUM LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk.
  2. ^ "BBC Radio 4 - BBC Inside Science, Blood Clot Cure, Synthetic Fuels and Coal Mine Heat Pumps". BBC. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  3. ^ Pickering, Chris (June 2021). "Green Tech: Zero Petroleum" (PDF). Race Tech. 247: 48–55. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 January 2022.
  4. ^ "The automotive future isn't all-electric, says F1 champion team chief ahead of ASI Connect debate". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Ex-Mercedes executive Paddy Lowe on Zero Petroleum's 'ambitious' targets". The Independent. 22 July 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  6. ^ Whipple, Tom. "Chemists are getting creative with carbon-neutral planes". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Stock take: Are e-fuels part of our future?". Autocar. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  8. ^ "First aircraft powered by synthetic fuel". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Sustainable fuel set to power the Royal Air Force reaches landmark new stage". GOV.UK. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  10. ^ "Royal Air Force Advances Synthetic Aviation Fuels Work | Aviation Week Network". aviationweek.com. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  11. ^ Mavrokefalidis, Dimitris (21 July 2022). "Royal Air Force to fly in cleaner skies". Energy Live News. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  12. ^ IChemE. "IChemE Fellows recognised with 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours". www.thechemicalengineer.com. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Raising Partners Angels Invests in Zero Petroleum". UK Business Angels Association. 20 September 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  14. ^ "UK synthetic fuel manufacturer secures £200k funding from Damon Hill syndicate". The Manufacturer. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  15. ^ "F1 legend Damon Hill in Scottish-led syndicate backing new synthetic fuels firm". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  16. ^ "RAF sets new world record for first successful flight using only synthetic fuel in 'unique project'". Sky News. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  17. ^ Kettley, Sebastian (17 November 2021). "RAF sets new Guinness world record after first successful flight using revolutionary fuel". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  18. ^ "RAF sets world record for first successful flight powered by synthetic fuel". The Independent. 17 November 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  19. ^ Hoyle, Craig (17 November 2021). "RAF, Zero Petroleum claim first net-zero synthetic fuel flight". Flight Global. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  20. ^ Cooper, Adam (29 February 2024). "Lowe returns to F1 with Sauber via Zero sponsorship deal". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  21. ^ Paddy Lowe On Leaving Williams And Winning With Mercedes | Beyond The Grid | Official F1 Podcast, retrieved 18 January 2022
  22. ^ "Ingenia - Fuel for a net zero future". www.ingenia.org.uk. Retrieved 18 January 2022.