Whiskey Biofuel FTW: Fine Beverage VS. Global Warming

Professor Martin Tangney, Director of the Biofuel Research Centre — Photo: REUTERS

Captain Whiskey, he’s our hero… gonna take pollution down to zero…

As if whiskey wasn’t already awesome enough, scientists at Edinburgh Napier University have discovered a way to turn by-products of whiskey production into butanol biofuel. Like ethanol, butonal can be used as an alternative automobile fuel source. The scientists claim that butanol is superior to ethanol, with a 30 percent greater efficiency and power output. It can also be introduced to unmodified engines, unlike ethanol which requires engine modification.

The biofuel formula consists of “draff” (spent grains) and “pot ale” (the liquid from copper stills distillery equipment) — both wasted by the whiskey making process. Waste not, want not. Transforming these by-products into biofuel is both economically and environmentally fiscal, and for obvious reasons.

”Scotch whisky is world-renowned and one of Scotland’s biggest exports, so it is great to see plans that could not only help power the cars on our roads and reduce fossil fuel emissions but also help reduce the environmental impacts of the industry itself. The production of some biofuels can cause massive environmental damage to forests and wildlife. So, whisky-powered cars could help Scotland avoid having to use those forest-trashing biofuels.” — Dr. Richard Dixon, Director of WWF Scotland.

Fine Beverage saving the planet? I can get down with that …

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