Alliance for Synthetic Fuels in Europe (ASFE)

Alliance of fuel producers and vehicle manufacturers (founding members: DaimlerChrysler, Renault, Royal Dutch Shell, SasolChevron, Volkswagen) to expedite the entry of synthetic fuels into the market in order to reduce CO2 emissions.

Biodiesel

Biodiesel is produced from renewable raw materials. In Germany, rapeseed is often used for the production of biodiesel. This has led to the use of the terms RME (rapeseed methyl ester) and or VME (vegetable oil methyl ester) fuel.

First-generation biofuel

This is derived from the fruit of the plant and has a comparatively low potential to reduce CO2 and a low yield per unit area. Its cultivation does compete with food production.

Second-generation biofuel

Is preferably produced from the entire plant or from residue and waste materials and has a high potential to reduce CO2 and a high yield per unit area. It is not in competition with food production.

Biomass

Organic material regarded as an overall mass. This includes, for instance, wood, grass, vegetable oil or straw and their waste and residue materials, in addition to materials created by conversion, such as paper and cellulose.

Biomass-to-Liquid (BtL)

Effective liquefaction of biomass to SunFuel®. Alongside BtL, there are also the terms GtL (gas-to-liquid) and CtL (coal-to-liquid).

Fuel cell

A fuel cell generates electrical current and heat by cold oxidation of hydrogen. The exhaust gas from a fuel cell contains only water and nitrogen. Fuel cells are clean and quiet, and have a high operating efficiency.

CO

Carbon monoxide. A poisonous gas that is produced as a result of incomplete combustion with too little oxygen. It burns with oxygen to form carbon dioxide.

CO2

Carbon dioxide. This is a naturally occurring gas produced as the stable final product of any combustion of organic material with oxygen. CO2 in the atmosphere performs functions that are vital to our existence. At the same time, it is the main greenhouse gas responsible for global warming.

CCS (Combined Combustion System)

A hybrid, self-ignition, homogeneous combustion process that combines the principles of the petrol and diesel engines. This results in good emissions characteristics and high efficiency.

Energy crops

Crops grown for direct use in energy production. There are two main types of energy crop: woody crops (e.g. fastgrowing trees) and herbaceous crops (e.g. oilseed rape or maize).

Hybrid drive

Two drive principles in one system, for instance a diesel engine and an electric motor, that complement each other with regard to pollution abatement and operating range.

Renewable energies

Also referred to as sustainable energies. Energies from sources that are, in practical terms, inexhaustible, i.e. wind energy, water power, solar energy and geothermal energy.

SunDiesel®

Brand name of a synthetic biofuel of the SunFuel® product range.

SunFuel®

Brand name registered by Volkswagen of a highpurity synthetic biofuel produced from hydrocarbons extracted from biomass. Free of sulphur and aromatics.

TSI

Twincharged stratified injection. TSI combines the abbreviation T for turbo and FSI for fuel stratified injection (direct fuel injection). Twin-charging with a turbocharger and supercharger achieves low fuel consumption together with high engine performance.