The declining availability of fossil energy and the imperative to reduce CO2 emissions force the development of new energy production schemes. Our new energy supplying process starts from natural sand and sun energy, both available excessively. In a one step thermal process sand is reacted to silicon tetrahalides SiX4 (X = Cl, F), for X = Cl still requiring stoichiometric amounts of carbon; for X = F the process is absolutely carbon free. Subsequently, SiX4 is polymerized to give perhalogenated polysilanes using a unique plasmachemical reaction. Polysilanes (X2Si)n are reactive synthetic natural oil equivalents: (i) Thermolysis results in an energy efficient formation of highly pure silicon, the starting material for the production of photovoltaic modules and (ii) hydrogenation yields in the exclusive formation of solid hydrogen substituted polysilane (HPS), a “white fuel“ as synthetic equivalent of basic natural oil (CnH2n+2 vs. SinH2n+2). HPS is a stable and permanent hydrogen carrier, which can be transported without hazards and that releases 20 weight % of hydrogen in its thermal reaction with water.

Summarizing our unique concept, sand is transferred into photovoltaic grade silicon providing electricity to the grid. Excess energy supports the production of HPS, which gives exclusively sand and hydrogen upon combustion with water. From that it is concluded that our “white fuel“ is a synthetic replacement of fossil fuels. The natural photosynthesis might be replaced by a photovoltaically supported “sand to hydrogen“ cycle.