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New Super Biofuel from Whiskey Byproducts Developed in Scotland
Edinburgh Napier University files a patent for a new biofuel said to give 30% more power than ethanol.
Scotland. Whiskey. Doesn’t it sound lovely? But all of that whiskeymaking produces a lot of waste - 1,600 million liters of pot ale (a liquid left from the still) and 187,000 metric tons of draff (the grain) are produced by the malt whisky industry each year!
Now, that waste could have another life as a fuel for Scottish cars, if a new development at Napier University gets some traction. A process for producing biobutanol from the byproducts of the country’s $6.2 billion a year (US equiv.) whiskey industry has been developed at their Biofuel Research Center, and the resulting patent means that one of Scotland’s most famous industries may soon be part of the alternative energy revolution.
Biobutanol is a compatible fuel for existing cars and engine technology, and no special adapters or modification are necessary. It also happens to have a 30% higher power output than ethanol, and could eventually be available right next to the gasoline pump.
One other key feature in the favor of this biobutanol is that it doesn’t require any crop land to be diverted to fuel crops, as some biofuels do. The researchers at Napier started out with byproducts of whiskey distilling from Glenkinchie Distillery, the makers of The Edinburgh Malt. Anytime you start with a waste product, you’re already half way ahead, and along with the biofuel, other “green” (renewable) chemicals can be produced as well, such as acetone.
Professor Martin Tangney leads the team as Director of the Research Center at Napier, and says they are committed to finding innovative renewable energy sources:
“While some energy companies are growing crops specifically to generate biofuel, we are investigating excess materials such as whiskey 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.”
It sounds like a win-win situation to me - not only will they still keep making great whiskey, but now they’ll also be making a great biofuel for everyday cars. It will certainly bring new meaning to the question “Have one for the road?”
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