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Biofuel Made from Whisky to Fuel Scotland's Gas Stations
Written by little_green 
Photo: Rama/Creative Commons
Scientists at Scotland's Napier University in Edinburgh have created a new fuel for cars, which they say is not only a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to gasoline, but also produces 30 percent more power than the popular biofuel ethanol. The university researchers are responsible for developing a chemical process that takes the two main by-products of whisky production - pot ale liquid and draff - and turns them into butanol, the new fuel.
Photo: Lakeworther/Creative Commons
In Scotland, whisky production creates about 1,600 million liters of pot ale liquid and 187,000 tons of draff (or spent grains) each year as leftover waste. This waste can now be used to power cars already on the road.
Photo: Chris huh/Creative Commons
The discovery is part of a push to create more eco-friendly alternatives in Europe as a whole. Professor Martin Tangney, who directs the Biofuel Research Centre, commented: "The EU has declared that biofuels should account for ten percent of total fuel sales by 2020. We're committed to finding new, innovative renewable energy sources."
Photo: Rama/Creative Commons
The university is now planning to set up a company that will work to bring biobutanol to gas station pumps across the country.
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