Biobutanol

Biobutanol supporters and researchers are pushing for greater funding and development of biobutanol as an immediately applicable and long-term alternative fuel solution. Biobutanol can be used as fuel in an existng internal combustion engine and is more similar in chemical structure to gasoline than is ethanol. Recent developments show an encouraging trend in further development of Biobutanol production including: *Cobalt Biofuels of California has raised $25 million to accelerate the commercialization of its biochemical process for biobutanol production and consumer use.

*Researchers at the US Agricultural Research Service are refining a method of producing biobutanol to create a more competitive alternative to ethanol as a substitute for gasoline.

* ButylFuel, LLC is developing a process targeting “economically competitive biobutanol production”.

*DuPont and BP are making biobutanol the focus of their joint-venture to develop and produce next-generation biofuels.

*Swiss company Butalco is developing genetically modified yeasts for the production of biobutanol.

Biobutanol has been demonstrated to work in some vehicles designed for use with petroleum-based gasoline without any modification Butanol produced from biomass is known as biobutanol and from fossil fuels known as petrobutanol.

Fermentation: This Isn’t Wine or Beer!

Butanol, also called butyl alcohol(and named biobutanol when produced biologically), is an alcohol with a 4-carbon structure and the molecular formula of C4 H10 O.can be produced by fermentation of biomass utlizing the A.B.E. process. The process uses a bacterium to initiate and sustain fermentation. Biobutanol(and ethanol) mass-production are primarily in the fermentation and distillation process of sugar beets, sugar cane, corn grain, wheat and cassava, straw and corn stalks. Biobutanol can also be made entirely with solar energy, from algae, and is called Solalgal Fuel.

Distribution: Accessibility Is Critical!

Biobutanol better tolerates water infiltration (ie: condensation or cold weather) and is less corrosive than ethanol and extremely well-suited for distribution through existing gasoline pipeline networks. To strengthen biobutanol blends with diesel or gasoline have been created to resist separation if exposed to water.

Advantages of Biobutanol:

Biobutanol, an advanced biofuel, can help accelerate biofuel adoption in worldwide by offering greater options for sustainable renewable transportation fuels, reducing dependency on imported oil, and lowering greenhouse emissions.

*Biobutanol energy content is closer to that of gasoline than ethanol so consumers compromise less on fuel economy

*Biobutanol benefits global farmers by providing another market for agricultural products and by-products.

*Biobutanol can be used undiluted and unaltered as a vehicle fuel without changing the components of the gasoline vehicle.

*Biobutanol is less corrosive and evaporates slower than ethanol.

*Biobutanol does not have to be stored in high pressure vessels like natural gas, and can, if necessary, be blended 10% to 100% with any fossil fuel.

Current Use Of Biobutanol In Vehicles:

Currently no production vehicle is known to be approved by any manufacturer for use with 100% biobutanol. However, any automobile able to run 10% ethanol blends should be able to use biobutanol or biobutanol without any problems.

“Pioneer” David Ramey drove from Blacklick, Ohio to San Diego, California using 100% butanol in an unmodified 1992 Buick Park Avenue. Although accurate conclusions must include long term testing and observations such experiments indicate most late model cars can run on 100% biobutanol safely with no modifications. {Justification for this conclusion is based on data for RON in comparison of n-Butanol with Gasoline. Additionally, modern ECU-injected motorcar piston engines are designed to be flexible enough to deliver good performance with 91-RON fuels; n-Butanol exceeds such fuels in RON rating.}