A ‘wee-dram’ of whisky (Scottish English as opposed to 'whiskey' in Irish English) may help your car run a little cleaner according to Edinburgh Napier University scientists who have produced biofuel from two main whisky distillation byproducts using samples from the Glenkinchie Distillery in East Lothian, Scotland.
The scientists used whiskey "pot ale" (left over copper still liquid), and "draff" (the grains after distillation), both of which are in ample supply after satisfying the £4 billion (US$6.23billion) thirst for the Scottish elixir.
The whisky biofuel process produces butanol, which has a 30% higher energy content than the regular ethanol biofuel, but a lower octane number. It is actually closer to regular gasoline than ethanol is, and can be easily used in both conventional car and plane engines.
Professor Martin Tangney, Director of the Biofuel Research Centre at Edinburgh Napier University, said that using waste material to produce biofuel is far more sustainable than growing specific crops for biofuel production. The fermentation process research was funded by Scottish Enterprise and is being patented with plans for commercialization and future production.
With 1,600 million litres (423 million US gallons) of pot ale and 187,000 tonnes (206,000 US tons) of draff available each year, there is plenty of material for creating butanol.
Via Guardian UK & Napier Press Release
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