Fuel Developments
Haru Oni Produces Its First Synthetic Fuel in Chile
HIF Global and its partners opened the Haru Oni pilot facility in Chile in December 2022, producing the project’s first litres of renewable synthetic fuel.
The Haru Oni pilot facility begins E-Fuel production using renewable electricity, hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide
HIF Global and its international partners officially opened the Haru Oni E-Fuel pilot facility near Punta Arenas, Chile, on 20 December 2022.
During the opening, the facility produced its first litres of synthetic fuel, marking an important demonstration of an integrated process that converts renewable electricity into a liquid hydrocarbon fuel. Porsche supported the project alongside partners including Siemens Energy and ExxonMobil.
Why Southern Chile Was Selected
The Haru Oni facility is located in Chile’s Magallanes region, where strong and consistent winds provide favourable conditions for renewable electricity generation.
Wind power supplies electricity to an electrolyser, which separates water into hydrogen and oxygen. The renewable hydrogen is then combined with carbon dioxide and processed into synthetic methanol.
Additional conversion and refining stages are used to produce synthetic gasoline.
The project was designed to demonstrate how renewable energy generated in regions with strong natural resources could be converted into transportable liquid fuels.
An Integrated Power-to-Liquid Process
Haru Oni brings several technologies together within one production pathway:
Wind electricity generation
Water electrolysis
Renewable hydrogen production
Carbon dioxide sourcing
Methanol synthesis
Methanol-to-gasoline conversion
Fuel refining and testing
Storage and distribution
Integrating these stages within one facility allows operators to evaluate how the complete production system performs under real operating conditions.
Initial Production Was Limited
Haru Oni was developed as a pilot and demonstration plant rather than a full commercial-scale production facility.
At its opening, the facility had a planned maximum production capacity of approximately 130,000 litres per year. Initial fuel volumes were intended for demonstration projects and selected motorsport applications.
The project’s purpose was therefore not to supply the wider fuel market immediately. It was designed to generate technical experience that could support the development of larger future facilities.
Porsche’s Role in the Project
Porsche became one of the most visible industrial supporters of Haru Oni and planned to use the synthetic fuel in selected demonstration and motorsport activities.
The company viewed E-Fuels as a possible complementary pathway for existing combustion-engine vehicles, specialist applications and parts of the global vehicle fleet that would remain in operation for many years.
During the plant’s opening ceremony, the first synthetic fuel produced at the facility was used in a Porsche 911.
Potential Compatibility with Existing Engines
Synthetic gasoline is designed to reproduce many of the technical characteristics of conventional gasoline.
When the final product complies with applicable fuel specifications, it may be used in compatible existing engines and fuel systems without major mechanical changes.
However, compatibility depends on:
Final fuel composition
Applicable technical standards
Engine calibration
Materials compatibility
Blending limits
Certification requirements
Production through a renewable pathway does not automatically guarantee that a fuel is approved for every vehicle or market.
Lifecycle Performance Depends on Production
Combustion of synthetic gasoline still releases carbon dioxide from the vehicle’s exhaust.
Its potential climate benefit comes from using carbon that has previously been captured and renewable electricity rather than extracting and burning new fossil carbon.
The complete lifecycle impact therefore depends on:
Renewable-electricity sourcing
Hydrogen-production efficiency
Origin of the carbon dioxide
Fuel-conversion efficiency
Transport distance
Refining and distribution
Final engine efficiency
Synthetic fuel should therefore be assessed across its entire production and use cycle, not only at the exhaust pipe.
A Platform for Larger Projects
Haru Oni was intended to provide operational knowledge for larger e-fuel facilities being considered in Chile and other international locations.
The pilot plant allows project partners to study:
Integration of production equipment
Renewable-power variability
Fuel quality
System efficiency
Operational reliability
Maintenance requirements
Certification procedures
International fuel logistics
HIF Global later described Haru Oni as its first operating E-Fuels facility and confirmed that the first synthetic fuel was produced in December 2022.
Challenges to Commercial Expansion
Although the opening demonstrated that integrated E-Fuel production was technically possible, significant challenges remained.
Commercial expansion would require:
Much larger renewable-power capacity
Lower electrolyser and production costs
Reliable carbon sources
Large project-financing packages
Long-term purchase agreements
Fuel certification
Transport and distribution infrastructure
Verified lifecycle-emissions performance
Pilot production alone could not demonstrate that synthetic fuels would become widely available or cost competitive.
What the Opening Meant for the Sector
Haru Oni became one of the most visible E-Fuel projects of 2022 because it moved beyond plans and construction into actual fuel production.
The opening demonstrated a complete production pathway involving renewable electricity, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and liquid-fuel synthesis.
It also highlighted the distance between successful pilot production and the development of commercially significant fuel volumes.
Key Takeaway
The first fuel produced at Haru Oni in December 2022 marked an important technical milestone for the E-Fuel sector.
The project showed that renewable electricity could be converted into synthetic gasoline through an integrated facility. Its wider significance would depend on whether the experience gained at pilot scale could support larger, financially viable and independently verified commercial projects.
