Technology Explore

Breakthrough technology: cars to run on fuel from household waste by 2010

Ineos, the world’s third largest chemical company, seems to have found a solution to the problem of the soaring fuel prices: an alternative fuel derived from rubbish. The British chemicals company announced today that it is aiming to produce commercial quantities of bioethanol fuel from biodegradable municipal waste around two years.

Ineos’ new technology will produce bioethanol in large quantities from municipal solid waste, organic commercial waste and agricultural residues amongst other things.

According to Peter Williams, Ineos Bio CEO, “In North America and Europe we will see around 10% or more of petrol (gasoline) being replaced with bioethanol. Our technology will make a major contribution to reducing greenhouse gases and the world’s need for fossil fuels.”

Ineos Bio Ethanol releases up to 90% less net greenhouse gases than petrol (gasoline). One tonne of dry waste can be converted into about 400 litres (100 gallons) of ethanol, which can either be blended with traditional fuels or replace them altogether, to substantially reduce vehicle emissions.

The technology - already proven at pilot plant scale - uses a simple three-stage process. The waste is first superheated to produce gases. Then, through a patented process, the gases are fed to naturally occurring bacteria, which efficiently produce ethanol. Finally, the ethanol is purified to make the fuel ready to be blended for use in cars.

Ineos plans to sell the environmental product in industrial quantities by the end of 2010. Peter Williams, the chief executive of Ineos Bio, said: “This should mean that, unlike with other biofuels, we won’t have to make the choice between food and fuel.”

The bioethanol that Ineos produces will have to be combined with a fossil fuel, however, because very few cars in Britain can run solely on bioethanol. The company expects at least 10 per cent of North America and Europe’s petrol use to be replaced with bioethanol, because it released up to 90 per cent less greenhouse gases than petrol.