Electricity grids can handle a lot of wind, solar and water resources. But what will help us get from 80% renewable energy to 100% renewable energy?

The missing piece may be renewable synthetic fuels.

“When we really want to decarbonize the whole electricity system, absolutely, synthetic fuels will play a key role,” says Matti Rautkivi, the director of business development and strategy at Wärtsilä.

In this episode, produced in collaboration with Wärtsilä, we’re looking specifically at how to use green hydrogen to create renewable fuels — and how to burn those fuels to create a fully renewable electricity system.

There’s some uncertainty about how exactly this market will evolve. But experts like Rautkivi are confident that renewable fuels are going to become a vital solution. 

“When we have excess electricity available, instead of curtailing it, we are going to put it through the synthetic fuels process and convert the electricity to fuels that we can store and use...later,” says Rautkivi. “So it provides flexibility to the electricity system.”

This is the third in a three-part series produced with Wärtsilä. You can listen to part one and part two. 

Wärtsilä creates smart, flexible power technologies to enable a cleaner grid and put the world on a path to 100% renewable energy. The company is helping clients worldwide meet their clean energy goals in an efficient and cost-effective way. Find out more.