Dr. Peter Wehle appointed new head of the technology platform for power-to-liquid fuels
October 28, 2024
Dr. Peter Wehle appointed new head of the technology platform for power-to-liquid fuels
Dr. Peter Wehle appointed new head of technology platform for power-to-liquid fuels
Prof. Dr. Manfred Aigner, initiator of the TPP and former head of the Institute of Combustion Technology (left) and his successor Prof. Dr. Andreas Huber (right) with the new project manager and head of the team Dr. Peter Wehle (centre) with the architectural model of the plant.
Credit:
DLR / Katrin Köhler
The German Aerospace Centre intends to use the technology platform for power-to-liquid fuels in Leuna to drive forward the market ramp-up of sustainable synthetic fuels. Construction of the research facility, which is being funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport Affairs to the tune of 130 million euros, began in October. With a production capacity of up to 2500 tonnes per year, the TPP will be the largest research facility for the production of electricity-based fuels to date. DLR has recruited Dr Peter Wehle, an experienced innovation expert, to manage the facility.
Dr Peter Wehle spent more than 33 years with Rolls-Royce in a number of senior roles. Most recently he was responsible for Innovation and Research & Technology, prior to which he was Chief Audit Engineer, Head of Engineering for Services, Director Operations Engineering and Chief Design Engineer V2500. As Head of Innovation, he not only developed new technologies, but also gained experience in promoting Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). He now brings all this experience to the construction of the new Leuna plant.
Peter Wehle appreciates the challenge of combining semi-industrial production with the scientific approach of the researchers. "The team of DLR researchers and project participants has done excellent preliminary work," says the doctor of engineering. "We therefore have an excellent starting point for the structural implementation in Leuna. The challenge in building the plant will be to integrate the individual components into an overall system that can then be gradually scaled up to industrial production standards." This step is not possible on a laboratory scale. The individual technologies are already known. However, Peter Wehle's team is breaking new ground by setting up and controlling the manufacturing process integrated into an overall system for the first time.
The team will benefit from Peter Wehle's industrial and management experience. During his years at Rolls-Royce, he has worked on many projects, learning how to manage partners from different technical disciplines and how to integrate and optimise technologies and systems. To develop new products in challenging environments, says the Austrian-born engineer, is what fuels his passion as an engineer. "The project will certainly be a tour de force," he says. "And the timetable is ambitious." That's why he wants to start by expanding the project team at the Institute of Combustion Technology, building up the team at the Leuna site and strengthening and expanding the already existing partnerships.
