Hull to get £25m biofuel centre
Elaine Brass
30th November 2009
Oil giant BP and science solutions company DuPont have announced they are to open a £25 million biofuel centre in Hull, by the end of next year.
The Kingston Research centre will manufacturer biobutanol, an advanced biofuel which the partners believe will help accelerate the adoption of biofuels, so that transport emissions reduction targets will be met quicker.
Biobutanol is produced from the same agricultural feedstocks as bioethanol, but can be blended into petrol at higher levels, making it more attractive for the faster take-up of biofuels. It also has an energy content closer to gasoline than ethanol giving more miles per gallon of fuel and is well suited to current vehicle and engine technologies. And unlike existing biofuels, it can be transported through pipelines.
BP and DuPont have been working on the development and fuel testing of biobutanol since 2006 and Kingston Research Limited general manager, Luc Van Den Hemel, said he was "excited" about demonstrating this technology in the Humberside region.
"Biobutanol is a biofuel that can be made from all the same crops as bioethanol and can be blended into petrol at higher levels, which means that we’ll be able to introduce biofuels more quickly," he said. "In the future, it will be possible to convert bioethanol refineries to produce biobutanol, allowing this industry to make an even larger contribution to meeting the world’s energy needs.”
The UK Government believes the new centre will help grow the UK’s economy and enhance its reputation as a world centre for innovation and research.
Business Secretary Peter Mandelson said: “This will place the UK at the forefront of next generation biofuel development. New industries such as low carbon and renewable technologies have huge potential for driving growth. This is precisely the type of investment project we need attract in order for these industries to thrive in the UK. I’m delighted that Hull and East Riding are at the cutting edge of R&D to realise that greener, brighter future.”
The BP site at Hull is also home to Vivergo Fuels, a joint venture between BP, British Sugar and DuPont, where they are constructing a world-scale bioethanol facility that will begin producing bioethanol in 2010 and will play a major role in meeting the UK’s requirements for biofuels.