In an effort to slash energy use and reduce feedstock consumption, work has started on an EU-funded project to improve the performance of the continent’s biorefinaries.

Known as EUROBIOREF (European multi-level integrated biorefinary design for sustainable biomass processing) it is a four-year project with a total budget of €37billion, of which a substantial amount will come from the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme.

Its aim is to overcome fragmentation in the sector through the promotion of networking, co-operation and co-ordination. It has put together a project consortium to cover the whole biomass chain and this will include companies in the biochemical industry, European organisations and researchers.

In addition, partners will develop a biorefinary concept for a wide range of feedstocks and different processes including chemical, biochemical and thermochemical. This will result in the production of a variety of products that range from polymers to high energy aviation fuels and chemicals.

It is hoped that by improving the efficiency of the reaction processes, the systems can become more flexible and reduce production time and logistics. This in turn could help improve cost efficiency by as much as 30 per cent. Furthermore, they hope to reduce the amount of energy used by around 30 per cent and cut feedstock consumption by 10 per cent. The plants should also produce zero waste.

Project partners are based in 14 countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Madagascar, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

Seafarer’s nightmare could be a motorists dream as scientists discover that a marine pest could hold the key to a biofuel breakthrough.

The tiny crustacean known as ‘gribble’ has been historically unpopular- eating through wood and wreaking havoc on wooden ships, piers and docks over the centuries. But after scientists from Portsmouth and York Universities examined its digestive system, they discovered powerful enzymes capable of digesting wood-a material that it difficult to break down-that could help convert raw materials into fuels, making the pest man’s new friend.

The tiny little gribble’s digestive tract is dominated by enzymes that attack the polymers that make up wood. One of the most abundant enzymes is a cellulose degrading enzyme never before seen in animals.

Unlike termites and other wood-eating animals, gribbles have no helpful microbes in their digestive system. This means that they must possess all of the enzymes needed to convert wood into sugars themselves. Dr Cragg, from the institute of Marine Sciences, said: “The clever chemistry of how they do this could hold the key to greener fuels.”

The scientists are now studying the enzymes to establish how they work and whether they can be adapted to industrial applications in the hope that biofuels produced with gribble enzymes could be a viable transport solution.

The findings by a team including Dr Simon Cragg, Dr. John McGeehan and Professor Matt Guille from the University Portsmouth and Professor Simon McQueen-Mason and Professor Neil Bruce at York, are published in the latest issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA (PNAS).

The research was funded through the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council’s (BBSRC) Sustainable Bioenergy Centre, a £26m research investment with six research programmes.

Duncan Eggar, BBSRC Bioenergy Champion, said: “The world needs to quickly reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and sustainably produced bioenergy offers the potential to rapidly introduce liquid transport fuels into our current energy mix.”

The European Commission (EC) is being taken to court over its refusal to release information that could show that biofuels do more harm than good.

Britain is required by European law to use renewable sources in transport fuel  to meet 10 per cent usage target by 2020 – a target which will be met in large part through the use of biofuels despite questions over their environmental impact.

A coalition representing green groups throughout Europe, including the Transport & Environment (T&E), Environmental Transport Association (ETA), ClientEarth and European Environmental Bureau wants the EC to release 140 documents which detail the negative environmental impact of widespread biofuel use in the EU.

The group alleges several violations of European laws designed to promote transparency, democracy, and legitimacy in EU policy-making.

Andrew Davis, Director of ETA, a British organisation represented in the legal action, said: "Motorists cannot be expected to know the ins and outs of every fuel that is or could be on offer. There must be complete transparency if biofuels are to be seen as credible."

The efforts to gain access to the information began on October 15, 2009 – more than 144 days ago. Following intense internal deliberations and multiple extensions, the Commission refused to turn over the documents by the statutory deadline set for February 9, 2010.

The controversy over biofuels centres on indirect land-use
change (ILUC) – the release of greenhouse gas emissions when forests and other natural areas are converted into agricultural land to replace those croplands lost to biofuel production.

"The public’s right to this information is a fundamental principle of European law. That the Commission should choose to deny our rights on such a critical issue as the science underpinning our climate policies is astounding," said Tim Grabiel, Staff Attorney at ClientEarth, the public-interest legal organisation representing the coalition.

"It is regrettable that the Commission’s consistent obstructionism compels us to go to court," he added.

How far has your country gone to support the green car movement? Our bet is that it has some way to go to catch Brazil – which celebrated building its 10millionth flex-fuel vehicle earlier this month.

According to the country’s National Association of Vehicle Manufacturers, the marker was hit on March 4 with the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) commenting that it should encourage car manufacturers to invest further – it represents the top producers of sugar and ethanol in the region, including the state of Sao Paulo which accounts for about 50 per cent of the sugarcane harvest and 60 per cent of total ethanol production.

UNICA outlines that flex-fuel technology is not widely offered in other parts of the world as there is a lack of commitment to produce and use ethanol. Marcos Jank, the president of UNICA, stated that the next step is to “take this technically proven and highly successful project to the rest of the world”. He believes there are currently barriers to its use, specifically tariffs, and because of these protectionist barriers, Brazilian sugarcane ethanol has struggled to enter global markets competitively despite its ability to reduce emissions.

Jank outlines that pushing the industry into the mainstream will not be a quick process and that the introduction of flex-fuel vehicles around the world will need decisive support from car manufacturers. Without it, he says, Brazil would not have been able to achieve such positive results. He hopes that now the “Brazilian success story” will be used as a model for the rest of the world and that more flex-fuel vehicles being introduced into more markets will encourage the production and availability of ethanol.

According to official statistics, Brazil produced around 565million metric tons of sugarcane in 2008 that yielded 31.3million tons of sugar and 25.7billion litres of ethanol making it the second largest ethanol producer in the world behind the US.

Fossil fuels are better for the environment than biofuels, that is the astonishing claim from The Times this morning after it revealed details of a leaked Government paper.

A study commissioned by the Department of Transport (DfT) from consultancy firm E4tech- and seen by the national newspaper- reveals that Europe’s policy on biofuel use has resulted in the millions of acres of forest being destroyed.

The research undertaken by E4tech concludes that some of the most commonly-used biofuel crops fail to meet the minimum sustainability standard set by the European Commission. Under the standard, each litre of biofuel should reduce emissions by at least 35 per cent compared with burning a litre of fossil fuel. Yet the study shows that palm oil increases emissions by 31 per cent because of the carbon released when forest and grassland is converted into plantations. Rape seed and soy plant use also fails to meet the standard.

Currently the UK’s own Renewable Fuel Transport Obligation (RTFO) requires 3¼ per cent of all road fuel sold to come from biofuel sources.

The European Commission (EC) is believed to have conducted  its own research into the effects of biofuel- but according to the paper-it is refusing to publish the results. A leaked internal memo from within the EC reveals the commission’s concern that incorporating indirect changes in land use criteria in sustainability standards would finish the European biofuels industry. A senior official wrote on the memo in handwriting: “An unguided use of ILUC [indirect land use change] would kill biofuels in the EU.”

The EC hopes to continue with its biofuel target by issuing revised standards that would appear to give palm plantations the same status as natural forests and thus bypass any issues with destroying natural habitats.

A draft of the new rules, obtained by The Times, states that palm oil should be declared sustainable if it comes from a “continuously forested area”, which it defines as areas where trees can reach at least heights of 5m, making up crown cover of more than 30 per cent. “This means, for example, that a change from forest to oil palm plantation would not per se constitute a breach of the criterion,” it adds.

Clearing rainforest for biofuel plantations releases the carbon stored in trees and soil. The expansion of the palm oil industry in Indonesia has turned it into the third-largest CO2 emitter, after China and the US.

Last year, 127 million litres of palm oil was added to diesel sold to motorists in Britain, including 64 million litres from Malaysia and 27 million litres from Indonesia.

Read the full article on The Times website.

What do you think? Is biofuel that bad? Can we revise our policy on biofuel so that we only use truly sustainable biofuel or should we can the RTFO? Leave a comment below to let us know. Don’t forget to vote on our biofuel poll on the left-hand side of the page.

The Green Piece Column. Tuesday 23 February 2010

Steeped in tradition, having been established in 1905 and now set for its 80^th edition, the Geneva International Motor Show has always been one of the highlights of the automotive calendar.

Regarded as a level playing field for the world’s car manufacturers as Switzerland lacks an automotive industry of its own, exotic supercars usually steal the spotlight at the event but this year, after turbulent times for the industry, the focus is on green cars and the future of the business. With that in mind here we look at the top 10 most exciting green cars expected to be unveiled at the show.

1. BMW Concept ActiveE

Making its European debut in Geneva, the BMW Concept ActiveE is a fully electric drive vehicle based on the BMW 1 Series (see article). It features a specially developed motor that delivers 125kW/170hp with a maximum torque of 250Nm.

It is capable of accelerating from 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds and has a range of 100 miles on a single charge.

2. New 2011 Ford Focus

Already unveiled to North American audiences in Detroit in January, the 2011 Ford Focus will make its European debut in Geneva with fuel consumption savings of 10-20 per cent compared to outgoing models (see article).

The new Focus is expected to include the next generation Focus ECOnetic technologies including automatic stop-start, smart regenerative charging and low tension front end accessory drive to bring emissions down to a targeted 99g/km with fuel economy at 74.2mpg.

3. Citroen DS High Rider

A brand new hybrid concept, the Citroen DS High Rider hopes to capitalise on the higher efficiency of a diesel combined with an electric motor and is capable of operating by diesel or electric power separately dependent on the conditions (see article).

Details of fuel economy and emissions of this exciting prototype are remaining under wraps until the Geneva Motor Show opens its doors.

4. Peugeot SR1

A new concept car by Peugeot, the SR1 uses the Hybrid 4 technology that is expected to be launched in the Peugeot 3008 in 2011. A 1.6litre THP petrol engine is combined with a rear electric motor that develops 70kW and with the two powertrains operating simultaneously the SR1 can deliver power as high as 230kW.

Its combined fuel cycle performance is 58mpg, with CO2 emissions at 119g/km.

5. New 2011 Audi A1

A new super-mini from the German carmaker, the Audi A1 boasts CO2 emission figures as low as 102g/km according to preliminary figures (see article).

 

Though Audi is shrinking in size to meet green car market demand, the A1 retains its signature sleek, streamlined look and can develop 160Nm of peak torque that enables it to race from 0-62mph in 12.1 seconds with a top speed of 111mph and fuel efficiency in the region of 55.4mpg.

6. New 2011 Bentley Continental SuperSports Convertible

As part of Bentley’s ongoing commitment to biofuels, the manufacturer will debut its flex-fuel capable Continental SuperSports Convertible at the event (see article).

With flex-fuel in full use, CO2 emissions fall by as much as 70 per cent and yet the vehicle still produces remarkable sports car figures, racing from 0-60mph in 3.9seconds and with a top speed of 202mph.

7. New 2010 Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion

Simply one of the greenest cars to date, the new Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion will be the second cleanest conventionally fuelled diesel on the market (behind the Smart ForTwo) with emissions at just 91g/km and fuel efficiency as high as 80.7mpg (see article).

This remarkable small car has certainly stood the test of time but with a new advanced 1.2litre TDI engine, automatic stop-start technology and regenerative braking, it takes the carmaker to an all-time high in fuel efficiency.

8. Vauxhall/Opel Flextreme

The Vauxhall/Opel Flextreme is a diesel plug-in hybrid car that can travel 34miles on its lithium-ion batteries before a small diesel engine starts to charge the batteries (see article). This range-extended concept is a rebadged version of the Saturn Flextreme first introduced in 2008 and is expected to emit 40g/km of CO2 or less based on European test procedures for range extended vehicles.

Its total range is expected to be more than 300miles with average fuel consumption at 174mpg.

9. “5 by Peugeot”

Another Peugeot debutant at the event will be the “5 by Peugeot”, a new concept car that expresses the carmaker’s desire to establish itself in the luxury sector (see article).

With Hybrid 4 technology it has an overall maximum power of 200bhp with super low fuel consumption at 74.3mpg. Its CO2 emissions, although not yet confirmed, are expected to be a meagre 99g/km placing this car right at the top of its sector.

10. New 2011 Lotus Elise

With all the hallmarks of a super car, the new Lotus Elise certainly isn’t the average green car, but thanks to a number of technological advances it manages to combine performance with efficiency (see article).

Thanks to a new 1.6litre engine that is 200cc smaller than the previous Elise model but still produces similar power at 160Nm at 4,400rpm, it has the lowest CO2 output of a petrol sports car in the world with emissions at less than 155g/km of CO2 and fuel economy at 38mpg. Nevertheless it still manages to race from 0-60mph in 6.0seconds with a top speed of 124mph.

The Geneva Motor Show opens to the Press on March 2 and to the public on March 4. We’ll bring you all the latest information from the event in our news section.

Faye Sunderland

Now this is a green car! Just a day after we announced that Lotus would be debuting a new, greener Elise model at the Geneva Motor Show (see article), now it is the turn of Bentley to offer a potentially show-stealing model of its own with a distinctly green theme.

The Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible (which we originally told you about here) offers the same 621bhp, twin-turbocharged W12 engine as the coupe version that was introduced in 2009 and is the fastest and most powerful drop-top the company has ever produced. Yet, remarkably, it can run on either petrol and E85 bioethanol, or even a combination of both.

Bentley has made an ongoing commitment to make its vehicles biofuel capable by 2012. E85 biofuel has a high octane rating of 105 but a lower energy content compared to petrol and requires a 30 per cent increase in the engine fuel flow rate. This meant that a complete review of the fuel system was required to identify, and replace as appropriate, any components deemed unsuitable.

A fuel quality sensor is used to detect the blend ratio of the fuel in real time and send a signal to the engine control unit. This keeps performance parameters consistent and with the flexfuel technology in full use, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions can be reduced by as much as 70 per cent.

All of these environmental improvements do not mean there has been a sacrifice in performance, however. The six litre W12 engine produces 621bhp at 6,000rpm and 800Nm of torque at 2,000-4,500rpm. The Continental Supersports Convertible can race from 0-60mph in just 3.9seconds, and boasts an impressive top speed of 202mph making it the fastest four-seat convertible in the world.

What is the future for automotive fuelling – maybe hydrogen fuel or electric charging? Well, General Motors remains adamant that the best near-term solution is biofuels.

Speaking at a keynote presentation at the Renewable Fuel Association’s 15^th Annual National Ethanol Conference, GM Vice Chairman Tom Stephens outlined the company’s commitment to biofuels. He acknowledged that electricity and hydrogen have potential to be important fuels and that their use will grow, but Stephens said that for the foreseeable future GM sees liquid fuels as the primary vehicle energy carriers for automobiles.

He stated that while improvements in batteries are expected, they still have a 100x lower energy density than liquid fuels. As such, GM is continuing to expand its flex-fuel portfolio and has made a commitment that by 2012 more than 50 per cent of its production will be flex-fuel capable. It even plans to make the Chevrolet Volt extended range electric vehicle flex-fuel capable around a year after it is introduced.

In addition, the company has made investments in cellulosic ethanol producers Coskata and Mascoma and is supporting the development of third generation renewable petrol and diesel.

Stephens did state that initiatives are needed to expand infrastructure for flex-fuel vehicles and suggested that additional pumps need to be put where vehicles are located. In America, two thirds of the current E85 stations are in 10 Midwestern states and 90 per cent of registered flex-fuel vehicles don’t have an E85 station in their zip code. He said that the US will need about 10,000 more pumps to put ethanol fuel within two miles of customers.

He also outlined that testing of mid-level blends is important as there are concerns about customers using fuels containing more than 10 per cent ethanol. The fear is that if ethanol gets a bad name it will be bad for everyone and decisions need to be made on sound science.

With a number of engineering issues surrounding the use of biofuels, global engineering firm Ricardo has launched a consortium with the aim of evaluating the impact of biofuels for both current and future light-duty engine technologies.

Ricardo hopes to use its insight and research skills in automotive technology to help the consortium address some of the pressing challenges of increased biofuel use. For example, in terms of biodiesel, the focus will be on the effect of the wide variability of fuel chemistry resulting from the broad range of potential feedstocks and the challenge of fuel storage that emerge from instability and reactivity to air.

The consortium will be open to oil companies, car manufacturers, tier one suppliers, additive manufacturers and government agencies. Its work will be structured into modules – the first of which focuses on the effect of biofuel content on diesel performance, emissions and economy. Three further modules are being considered: the effects of biofuel content on petrol performance, emissions and economy; the effects of biodiesel on vehicle stability; and the effects of biodiesel on fuel in oil dilution and how advanced post injection calibration techniques could limit this problem.

It is hoped that by adopting a modular approach there will be a flexible scope that maximises the benefits of the pre-competitive research and that it will enable members to share costs.

The consortium is part funded by the Department for Transport and will remain open to applications from members throughout the duration of work.

British Airways (BA) is to invest in a new biomass jet fuel plant, to help the firm supply its fuel from renewable sources.

In striking a deal with the Solena Group, the firm will help establish Europe’s first plant to produce jet fuel from waste matter.

The plant is likely to be built in east London and will convert 500,000 tonnes of waste each year into 16 million gallons of fuel for jets. According to the firm, this new fuel will offer lifecycle greenhouse gas savings of up to 95 per cent compared to fossil-fuel derived jet kerosene.

Construction of the plant is set to start within two years. It could produce fuel from 2014, creating up to 1,200 jobs.

The fuel would be generated from a variety of waste materials diverting it away from landfill. The process would involve waste being fed into a patented high temperature gasifier to create BioSynGas. An established process known as Fischer Tropsch then converts the gas into biofuels to produce biojet fuel.

The volume of fuel projected to be produced would be more than twice the amount required to make all of British Airways’ flights at nearby London City Airport carbon-neutral, the firm says, a carbon saving equivalent of taking 48,000 cars off the road per year.

The plant would help reduce the release of the greenhouse gas, methane, by reducing landfill waste and would also generate an additional 20MW of electricity a year from renewable sources, which could be fed into the national grid.

British Airways has signed a letter of intent to purchase all the fuel produced by the plant, which will be built by the Solena Group Inc, an advanced bio energy and bio fuels company based in Washington DC.

Four sites in the east of London are among those under consideration for the construction of the bio-jet fuel plant.  The scheme will lead to the creation of up to 1,200 jobs in the area and could reduce significantly local authority landfill tax bills.

Dr Robert Do, chairman and chief executive of the Solena Group said:  “The Solena – British Airways BioJetFuel project will efficiently convert biomass into clean renewable fuels and electricity and is completely carbon neutral.  The plant will be a state-of-the-art renewable fuel manufacturing facility, distinct from a standard waste to energy incinerator facility.  It will not produce any polluting emissions or undesirable by-products.”

The Mayor of London set out his vision to save millions from the city’s waste bills through his ‘Foodwaste to Fuel Alliance’ last year. This new project could be part of the solution, BA says.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson congratulated the firm:  “I welcome this fantastic new ‘carbon lite’ fuel production facility in London.  City Hall has been working with British Airways and Solena to drive this project forward to help untap the massive potential to generate cleaner, less polluting energy from waste, otherwise destined for landfill.  We are working to bring together more organisations in this way to harvest the capital’s rubbish to fuel homes, businesses and even transport.”