The world’s first biopetrol demonstration plant has begun producing petrol and petrol blend components by converting plant sugars.
The US plant, a joint project between Shell and Virent Energy Systems, has the capacity to produce up to 10,000 gallons of biopetrol annually, which will be used for engine and fleet testing.
The new biofuel can be blended with petrol in high concentrations for use in standard petrol engines.
The fuel has the potential to eventually do away with the need for specialised infrastructure, engine modifications and blending equipment for petrol containing more than 10% ethanol.
Virent’s BioForming platform technology uses catalysts to convert plant sugars into hydrocarbon molecules and have higher energy content than ethanol and deliver better fuel economy.
The demonstration plant is currently using beet sugar for production.
Shell Alternative Energies vice president Luis Scoffone said that there is yet some way to go on the route to commercialisation.
