Britain to Test Bioethanol Fuel in Somerset Transport Experiment

In a few weeks, motorists in Somerset will take part in a unique transport experiment, filling up their cars with bioethanol fuel made from sugar cane in Brazil. This fuel, which contains almost entirely ethanol, will allow drivers to cruise the county's lanes and roads while reducing their carbon footprint. According to scientists, bioethanol fuelled cars produce at least 60 per cent less climate-altering gases than standard vehicles.

Key Takeaways:

• The experiment involves the use of bioethanol fuel, made from sugar cane in Brazil, which can be used in a handful of cars available in Britain, including the Saab 9-5 BioPower and a version of Ford's Focus range.
• Europe has the potential to provide 40 per cent of the fuel it needs for transport from ethanol fermented from crops and biodegradable waste, suggesting a massive opportunity for nations to reduce outputs of global warming gases.
• Bioethanol fuels produce no overall addition to atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide, as the carbon dioxide is recycled through the process of plant fermentation and burning.
• The government has indicated that it expects 5 per cent of all motor fuel in the UK to come from renewable sources by 2010, equivalent to taking a million cars off the road.
• British Sugar is building a £20m plant in Wissington, Norfolk, to convert low-grade sugar extracted from beet into ethanol, with an output of 70 million litres.
• Green Spirit Fuels, based in Henstridge, Somerset, has planning permission to build a bioethanol plant to convert 340,000 tonnes of wheat into 131 million litres of bioethanol.
• The country will soon be awash with bioethanol, with Tesco selling E5 petrol (petrol with a 5 per cent ethanol addition) at 185 of its forecourts.
• Upgrade to flexi-fuel vehicles, which can run on both standard petrol and E85 fuel, is expected to be a crucial step in reducing carbon emissions.
• Sales of flexi-fuel vehicles have been "explosive" in other countries, and all major motor manufacturers are now designing their own versions.

Statistics:

• 60 per cent reduction in climate-altering gases from bioethanol fuelled cars compared to standard vehicles.
• 40 per cent of Europe's fuel needs can be met through ethanol fermented from crops and biodegradable waste.
• 5 per cent of motor fuel in the UK expected to come from renewable sources by 2010.
• 3.5 million tonnes of wheat surplus that can be converted into bioethanol.
• 70 million litres of bioethanol output from British Sugar's plant in Wissington, Norfolk.
• 131 million litres of bioethanol output from Green Spirit Fuels' plant in Henstridge, Somerset.
• 185 Tesco forecourts selling E5 petrol.

Sources:

• Robin McKie, "Britain to Test Bioethanol Fuel in Somerset Transport Experiment", The Guardian (no date provided)
• British Sugar
• Green Spirit Fuels
• Tesco
• Dr Jeremy Woods, bio-fuel expert at Imperial College, London
• Andy Taylor, director of sustainability at Ford.