Biobutanol, alive and well

I last looked into biobutanol back in 2006 for an Alternative Energy course. It seemed like a promising biofuel with far superior properties to ethanol, so I wondered how it was doing in 2012. Well not only is the joint venture between DuPont and BP to manufacture biobutanol still alive, a new venture has been formed in Scotland to produce biobutanol from byproducts of scotch whiskey manufacture (title link).

And if that is not inspiring enough, zebras have entered the act with a bacterium in their poop known as TU-103. This bacterium can ferment cellulose into butanol in the presence of oxygen, a real cost advantage over current processes.

Plains Zebra, Etosha National Park, Namibia by Bill Fintel

Also, bear in mind that although burning biofuels creates CO2, growing biofuels consumes CO2.