A Competitor For Ethanol Called Biobutanol? - 6/27/06

A new biofuel called biobutanol has been developed by DuPont and BP that is said to have 30% more energy than ethanol.   This will translate into higher performance and better gas mileage. 

The two companies have been working on this new fuel since 2003.  They plan to introduce the first generation of biobutanol in the U.K. by 2007.  The second improved generation of the fuel is hoped to be introduced by 2010.  DuPont and BP goal is to fuel competitive with gasoline even if oil drops to $30.00 a barrel.  The fuel is produced by extracting sugar from sugar beet and converting the sugar into fuel similar to the way ethanol is produced.

Biofuel could account for 30% of all fuel consumption by 2010.  Biobutanol has and advantage over ethanol because it can be used close to 100% replaced for gasoline without any modifications to a standard combustion engine.  Vehicles using a high concentration of ethanol must be built or converted to use ethanol.

Biobutanol can be blended with gasoline and ethanol and can be transported through existing transportation infrastructure.  In the past biobutanol was not competitive with gasoline.  DuPont and BP believe they can improve on the production of biobutanol with more efficient fermentation. 

Source: Forbes
Kerry A. Dolan
06/20/06 2:30PM ET

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