new hope for getting rid of ethanol

[Tork]

Ethanol has caused an explosion in food prices (which has led to hundreds of thousands more starving people in the world)
It hurts our MPG, corrodes our fuel systems and costs more to produce than gas. A new alternative is ...........

Energy Balance: Isobutanol - a Breakthrough in Biofuel production?

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Isobutanol - a Breakthrough in Biofuel production?

A paper has just appeared in the science magazine Nature, which reports that appreciable yields of isobutanol (IB) and other higher chain alcohols (1-butanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol and 2-phenylethanol), can be produced by fermenting glucose with genetically modified E.coli. Such higher-chain alcohols have a greater energy density than ethanol and are much less prone to absorb water from the atmosphere, being consequently less corrosive toward engine parts. Liquid fuels should be applauded, since they can be handled within largely existing infrastructures and they do not require the fabrication of new engineering on a staggering scale to do this, unlike hydrogen. Since such liquid fuels can be burned in diesel engines, rather than requiring fuel cells for which there is insufficient platinum to provide more than a small percentage of the current number of the 600 million vehicles on the world's roads, this tried and confirmed means is quite adaptable for the purpose.

[Sugarphreak]

I hope so, I have been a huge anti-E85 advocate.... you know, on forums and stuff

[Tork]

Originally Posted by Sugarphreak

I hope so, I have been a huge anti-E85 advocate.... you know, on forums and stuff

LOL good man! Major rep for being way up to speed on the ethanol scam!

[SilverBullet]

Bp Amaco is using or experimenting with it in there ultimate gasoline. Plus triptane is also being played with due to higher motor octane and cleaner burn with better mileage. Technology Review: BP's Bet on Butanol