2010-08-23

Biofuel from Whisky Byproducts

Scottish Scientists Turn Whisky Into Biofuel 



[...] Researchers at Edinburgh Napier University have figured out how to turn the leftovers from one of Scotland’s biggest exports into biofuel. Made from byproducts of the whisky-making process, the scotch-derived biofuel is ready to run in ordinary automobile engines without requiring any modifications.


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Super 'whisky' biofuel to power cars


Professor Martin Tangney


Professor Martin Tangney, Director of the Biofuel Research Centre at Edinburgh Napier University, is leading the ground-breaking research.

He said: “The EU has declared that biofuels should account for 10% of total fuel sales by 2020. We’re committed to finding new, innovative renewable energy sources.

“While some energy companies are growing crops specifically to generate biofuel, we are investigating excess materials such as whisky by-products to develop them.

"This is a more environmentally sustainable option and potentially offers new revenue on the back of one Scotland’s biggest industries. We’ve worked with some of the country’s leading whisky producers to develop the process.”

Collected from: News Details









What are biofuels?

Biofuels are any liquid, solid or gaseous fuels produced from organic matter. The extensive range of organic materials used for biofuel production includes starch and sugary plants such as corn, wheat or sugar cane; oily plants such as rape seed, soya beans or jatropha; vegetable oils and animal fats; wood and straw; algae and organic waste and others. Biofuels are commonly referred to as first generation, mainly bioethanol and biodiesel, or second generation, which cover a variety of technologies currently in the pipeline.

Collected from: What are biofuels?



Biobutanol - the superior biofuel

Butanol is a 4-carbon alcohol originally central to a number of industrial chemical processes. It is now recognised as an important transport fuel - with superior characteristics to ethanol.
 
Butanol is produced by solventogenic clostridia via the Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol fermentation. The history of the ABE fermentation stretches back to the early 1900s and it was once only second to ethanol as the largest industrial fermentation. Its demise was ultimately triggered by the availability of cheaper alternatives from the petrochemical industry. The search for a sustainable biofuel has now established biobutanol as a important transportation fuel.
Collected from: Butanol


Sources
Scottish Scientists Turn Whisky Into Biofuel | Popular Science
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-08/scots-make-biofuel-byproducts-scotch-production
News Details
http://www.napier.ac.uk/media/Pages/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsID=151
YouTube - Whisky-fueled cars could add interesting twist when filling up at the petrol pump
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7twbdxWfCo
YouTube - Scientists Raise A Glass To Whisky Biofuel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCjADYbJkiE
What are biofuels?
http://www.napier.ac.uk/randkt/rktcentres/bfrc/Pages/Whatarebiofuels.aspx
Butanol
http://www.napier.ac.uk/randkt/rktcentres/bfrc/Pages/Butanol.aspx

Related
Scots scientists create car biofuel from whisky by-products
http://www.physorg.com/news201327681.html
Scottish whisky to power cars | About WWF Scotland | WWF Scotland
http://scotland.wwf.org.uk/what_we_do/about_wwf_scotland/?4167/Scottish-whisky-to-power-cars
Scottish scientists develop whisky biofuel | Environment | guardian.co.uk
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/aug/17/whisky-biobuel-scotland
BBC News - Whisky 'petrol' for cars developed by university
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-10998281
Whisky Biofuel Available in a Few Years: 30% More Power than Ethanol : TreeHugger
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/08/whisky-biofuel.php
Scottish Researchers Turn Whiskey into Fuel | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World
http://inhabitat.com/2010/08/18/scottish-researchers-transform-whiskey-into-fuel/
Biofuel Research Centre
http://www.napier.ac.uk/randkt/rktcentres/bfrc/Pages/default.aspx

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