Whiskey is the latest Bio fuel ingredient that will be available for vehicle consumption in Europe. Scottish scientists at Edinburgh Napier University have done research in the area of bio-fuels recently and came up with a Whiskey based bio-fuel that shows promise. The fuel is actually made from the by-products of the alcohol, not the alcohol itself. Like Ethanol, it can be used in gasoline engines that do not have to be modified in any way, as long as it’s mixed at a rate of approximately 15 % with gasoline.
Many distilleries produce tons of the by-product that go in to this biofuel, so it stands to reason that this could be a cost effective answer for everybody involved.
The EU will require bio-fuels to account for 10% of fuel sales by 2020, so this is a viable option that shows true promise. Professor Martin Tangney, who is the director of the bio-fuel research team at the university said, ” While some energy companies are growing crops specifically to generate bio-fuels, we are investigating excess materials such as whiskey by-products to develop them. This is a more environmentally sustainable option and potentially offers new revenue on the back of one of Scotland’s biggest industries”.
Obviously, using by-products that would normally need to be disposed of, instead of using brand new crops allows for a much more cost effective option, that could make bio-fuels catch on more in other countries, such as in the USA.
The next time your vehicle is at the auto shop, up on a car lift, don’t be surprised to see their gas pump advertising a whiskey – based bio fuel additive.