Paris – The ButaNexT project presented its research into a new and improved biofuel – biobutanol – at the Energy and Environment Knowledge Week (E2KW) Congress in Paris on Friday 28 October.
Project partners from the University of Castilla La Mancha (UCLM) presented strategies to introduce butanol into fuel blends. They have tested the performance and emissions of different diesel, biodiesel or gasoline blends to identify the optimal combinations, increasing the potential for butanol to be used in regular engines.
E4tech also presented a report into sustainable feedstocks for advanced biofuels and their availability in Europe. Miscanthus and straw were found to be the most promising for biobutanol, both in terms of their greenhouse gas emission saving potential, and their ability to supply sufficient feedstock for scaled-up commercial production.
“This session at E2KW is our most significant interaction with external stakeholders so far,” explained Jenna Hewitt, from coordinating company Green Biologics Ltd., “it represents an ideal opportunity to present our first results and gain feedback from experts in the field.”
The Energy and Environment Knowledge Week (E2KW) is an international multidisciplinary event organised to discuss and present cutting-edge research in energy and environment. This year’s event was hosted by the University Paris Est-Créteil (UPEC).
ButaNexT, a pan-European cooperation, aims to develop a cost-competitive value chain for biobutanol, by developing more efficient production processes. Butanol is considered an attractive alternative to current biofuels on the market as it is based on more sustainable biomass feedstocks and has superior fuel properties. Find out more at the project website.