Biobutanol promising but technology not yet developed, says NREL engineer

In Colorado, a research engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden told BusinessWeek that biobutanol holds significant promise as an alternative energy, but that the technology is far from developed to make the fuel a reality.

Andy Aden of NREL told BusinessWeek that US fuel distribution infrastructure was ill-prepared to distribute 36 billion gallons of biofuels by 2022, as required under the EISA Act. Butanol can use existing pipe infrastructure and contains more BTUs than ethanol; it can be successfully blended at higher percentages than ethanol without causing engine or fuel line problems.

DuPont, BP and British Sugar are working on one butanol venture aimed at creating a Bu22 biobutanol blend, while Gevo is based in the United States and working on its own proprietary approach to butanol development.

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