1. Prof Martin Tangney Director Biofuel Research Centre Presentation Part 2

3. 1 st law of thermodynamics… Energy can neither be created nor destroyed CO 2 in plant C CO 2 in fuel molecules Use in vehicle C C C Second generation biofuel Lignocellulosic bioethanol Lignocellulosic bioethanol Maximise efficiency

5. Lignocellulose Yeast do not typically ferment C5 sugars

6. CO 2 in plant C CO 2 in fuel molecules Use in vehicle C C C Second generation biofuel Renewable Sustainable Substrates Sustainable biofuel

7. CO 2 in plant C CO 2 in fuel molecules Use in vehicle C C C Renewable Sustainable Substrates Sustainable biofuel Is there anything better than ethanol??? Is there anything better than ethanol???

8. BUTANOL as a FUEL  it has a higher energy yield (C4)  can be readily integrated into existing fuel infrastructure an be blended with petrol at all concentrations an be blended with diesel  Can be used together with ethanol ( enhances the performance of ethanol fuel blends )

9. Clostridium acetobutylicum Clostridium acetobutylicum Strictly anaerobic, spore-forming, bacterium isolated in 1912 from corn Ferments carbohydrates into solvents… acetone, butanol and ethanol (ABE) Strictly anaerobic, spore-forming, bacterium isolated in 1912 from corn Ferments carbohydrates into solvents… acetone, butanol and ethanol (ABE) Chaim Weizmann Industrial process pioneered by Chaim Weizmann in Manchester… hence, also known as the Weizmann process Industrial process pioneered by Chaim Weizmann in Manchester… hence, also known as the Weizmann process Solventogenic clostridia development of the ABE fermentation BUTANOL as a BIO-FUEL

10. Stimulus for industrial fermentation…World War I ACETONE needed for manufacture of explosives Solventogenic clostridia development of the ABE fermentation

11. ● 1920’s – butanol for butyl acetate based lacquers ● World War II – acetone for cordite ● new strains of Clostridium isolated ● a better substrate - molasses ● Global production UK, USA, France, Canada, India, Japan, Brazil, Egypt… second only to alcohol production by yeast second only to alcohol production by yeast ● Global production UK, USA, France, Canada, India, Japan, Brazil, Egypt… second only to alcohol production by yeast of the ABE fermentation Economic success of the ABE fermentation

12. 1960’s – discontinued in UK and USA 1980’s – discontinued in South Africa Production continued in former USSR and China Economic demise of the ABE fermentation Key factors… Rise of petrochemical industry Rise of petrochemical industry Prohibitive cost of substrate Prohibitive cost of substrate

13. Summer 2005…

14. Biobutanol "Delivering solutions that reduce the world's reliance on fossil fuels is a global imperative. Biobutanol holds tremendous potential for delivering solutions in the near term." - Charles O. Holliday, Jr., DuPont Chairman & CEO butanol “ butanol is a next generation biofuel that will supersede ethanol and biodiesel as the biofuel of choice for road transportation within 10 years” Dr Edward Green Green Biologics Ltd Solventogenic clostridia RE-development of the butanol fermentation

15. Bioconversion Solventogenic clostridia ABE fermentation Bioconversion Solventogenic clostridia ABE fermentation Substrate BUTANOLBUTANOL ProductivityProductivity Solventogenic clostridia exhibit remarkable metabolic flexibility Renewable resources

16. feedstock opportunities agricultural/bioindustrial process wastes agricultural/bioindustrial process wastes wood process wastes wood process wastes biomass (corn stover, grasses etc) biomass (corn stover, grasses etc) marine biomass marine biomass Solventogenic clostridia exhibit remarkable metabolic flexibility Substrate

21. Solventogenic clostridia RE- development of the butanol fermentation ABE in Brazil

23. “there is fuel in every bit of vegetable matter that can be fermented” Henry Ford 1925 “there is fuel in every bit of vegetable matter that can be fermented” Henry Ford 1925