Nissan Converts Bioethanol into Electricity

Nissan has begun testing a local bioethanol-powered fuel cell system capable of generating electricity.

It all started with SOFC. In 2016, Nissan became the first automaker in the world to develop a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) for vehicles powered by bioethanol. A process considered satisfactory but difficult to deploy on a large scale. Hydrogen came into the picture and, suddenly, the technology became outdated.

But bioethanol is mass-produced by the food and agriculture industries, and Nissan sees a future for its technology. The manufacturer is now applying it to fixed charging stations. After all, in this new cycle, electricity comes, and electricity goes.

What is a solid oxide fuel cell?

SOFCs can generate electricity using hydrogen obtained from various types of fuels unsuitable for general public use. These are fuels whose conversion cycle has not been completed and are therefore reformed, including ethanol, natural gas, and LPG, which then react with oxygen. The high temperatures create high catalytic activity, enabling the SOFC to achieve an energy production efficiency of about 70%, compared to 60% for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEFC).

Raw sorghum bioethanol

The stationary electricity production system will be powered by bioethanol derived from sorghum (sorghum bioethanol), developed in partnership with Binex Inc., with fuel purchased from Binex. This collaboration will commence in 2025.

Although sorghum bioethanol emits CO2 during SOFC electricity production, the sorghum absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere during its growth process, thereby contributing to a carbon-neutral cycle. Sorghum is a herbaceous plant that has properties enabling a form of « natural » carbon offsetting.

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