Often, when biofuels are discussed, ethanol is the fuel everyone thinks about. The alcohol fuel can be produced from corn and other grains as well as biomass like switchgrass and sorghum. However, there is another alcohol fuel that may be as big a part of the biofuels and biochemicals mix one day soon. It is called butanol.
Butanol or butyl alcohol is a primary alcohol with a 4-carbon structure and the molecular formula of C4H10O. Its current and most common use today is as a chemical feedstock for other commercial products. It has significant capabilities as a solvent and as an ingredient in other chemical products. However, it does hold significant promise as a liquid transport fuel. Just like ethanol, it is particularly well suited to production from biomass resources. The biggest benefit of butanol compared to ethanol is that it is more similar to gasoline in terms of energy contents, achieving fuel mileage similar to gasoline in today’s combustion engines without technology modification.
Butanol conversion technology has lagged behind that of ethanol, meaning its conversion efficiencies, production rates, and capital development costs have not yet been optimized. In recent years, however, significant technological progress has been achieved and commercial development has begun to take place. Several companies, including Gevo, Green Biologics, and Butamax, are working to commercialize butanol production for a variety of purposes, including vehicle and aviation fuels. Recently, a Black Hawk military helicopter completed testing on a 50/50 blend of isobutanol fuel. While hurdles exist for the commercialization of the fuel, the future for butanol remains bright!
Genera’s team interacts with technologies associated with butanol. Our biomass supply chain services can supply biomass feedstocks to these and other technologies in a sustainable, economic manner. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help make your project a success.
By Sam Jackson, Ph.D., VP Business Development
