Just over a week ago, Denmark became the first European country to make available to drivers second generation biofuel, fuel made of agricultural residues that do not compete with food crops. The fuel, called Bio95, is now on offer at 100 filling stations across the country on a 95% gas, 5% biofuel blend.
Bio95 is made from wheat straw collected after harvest in Denmark and is produced by a company called DONG Inbicon with enzyme technology by Novozymes.
“Long a grand vision of the future, next-generation biofuel is now coming to market to fulfil its promises. The industry has delivered and we’re now sending a strong signal to policy-makers that their support for this exciting technology is required if all our citizens are to benefit from it,” said Steen Riisgaard, CEO of Novozymes.
A recent study released by Bloomberg said second-generation biofuel could generate up to one million jobs in the European Union over the next decade, mainly in rural areas and replace up to 62% of imported gasoline. The report also claims that second generation biofuels could cut down road transport emissions by 50% until 2020. But a set of policies need to be put in place in order for that to happen, the report added, such as the creation of an ambitious mandate for second-generation bio fuel, incentives for the collection of farming residues and tax breaks for investments.
Article by Antonio Pasolini, a Brazilian writer and video art curator based in London, UK. He holds a BA in journalism and an MA in film and television.
1 comment
We were making cellulosic ethanol here in the U.S. back in the forties. It isn’t anything new. The industry lost out to lower cost competitors. It all comes down to cost.
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