BioTFuel: Driving with plant-based fuels

Straw and waste wood as starting materials

Using plant-based fuels instead of gasoline or diesel can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90 percent. However, there is a risk that cultivating biomass could take up arable land that could otherwise be used for food crops. In collaboration with French partners we are therefore researching a production method based on second-generation biomass, mainly waste and residues such as straw and wood offcuts that do not compete with food crops.

Around the world, demand for biofuels is growing.

In this process, the biomass is first dried and then ground. In a second step the material is processed in a special reactor to produce synthesis gas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. As in the first step, the energy for this comes from the biomass itself. Finally, the cleaned synthesis gas is converted into biodiesel or biokerosene.

Around the world, demand for biofuels is growing. Experts predict that second-generation biofuels will meet an increasing share of this demand.

Successes:

Biofuels reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90 percent