Japan's RITE developing biodiesel from waste materials

The Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE), a government-affiliated research institute in Japan, has developed a technology for creating diesel fuel from waste materials, such as grass cuttings and wood chips. Similar technology exists for bioethanol fuel for gasoline cars, but this is said to be a world first for diesel vehicles. The biodiesel fuel uses a type of alcohol known as butanol made using genetically modified microorganisms. The biobutanol was formed by cultivating a large number of these microbes in a vat and adding sugar produced by breaking down such plant fibers as grass and tree cuttings, wood, and rice straw. Light oil is normally used in diesel fuel. But in testing commissioned by RITE, Honda subsidiary Honda R&D Co. confirmed negligible effects on vehicle performance when biobutanol was mixed with light oil. Once mass production begins, the fuel is seen costing almost the same to produce as bioethanol for gasoline-powered cars. (August 14, 2007)