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You are here: Home / Environment / Conservation / CEO: Biofuel cleaner than ethanol

CEO: Biofuel cleaner than ethanol

March 31, 2008 By WRN Contributor

Madison-based Virent Energy Systems and Shell Oil are involved in a five-year biofuel agreement to produce gasoline directly from plant sugars. Virent CEO and President Eric Apfelbach says their fuel's production leaves a smaller carbon "footprint" is smaller than creating ethanol. Also, the process uses a broad range of non-food grade sugars and carbohydrates. Apfelbach says the product does not need a special infrastructure; it can be used immediately in pipelines and car engines. 

Currently at their Madison facility, Virent has 16 pilot plants pumping out a gallon a day of the fuel.

"Our challenge at this point is to see how fast we can scale up the technology," says Apfelbach.

The firm looks to develop larger "pre-commercial pilot plants" at roughly 10,000 liters in capacity; a goal the CEO admits will likely take a few years.

AUDIO:Brian Moon reports (MP3 :66)

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Filed Under: Environment / Conservation



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