Energy > Liquid biofuels > Ethanol/Ether

In France ethanol is used in the derivative form of ethyl-tertio-butyl-ether (ETBE). It is used as an oxygenate additive in formulating unleaded gasolines. Avoided greenhouse gas emissions amount to 1.4 tonnes CO2-equivalent per tonne of ethanol. ETBE has proven its effectiveness for reducing engine emissions in official testing by the Technical Union for Automobiles, Motorcycles and Cycles (UTAC).

In addition to work on improving ethanol production, an intelligence watch stays abreast of techniques for lignocellulose treatment and fermentation of certain sugars derived for the purpose of producing ethanol. In testing, direct use of ethanol in diesel fuel and in gasoline has shown positive results as far as emissions are concerned. These results have been without application so far, but could become current again. The above-mentioned targets for biofuels cannot be met by 2010 unless there is large-scale production and direct use of ethanol. A new and promising research direction pursued by AGRICE is the use of ethanol as a source of hydrogen for fuel cells. In the wake of rather encouraging research various aspects of reforming and direct use of ethanol are being studied, and will yield results in the medium term.

2006
Combined inverse osmosis processes to treat evaporative condensates of distillery residues, for recycling in alcoholic fermentation
Direct oxidation of ethanol to 1,1-diethoxyethane (acetal)
Fundamental study of elements that constitute alternative substrates for beet molasses used in high-volume fermentation industries

2005
Ethanol as gasoline substitute: gasoline/ethanol blends Assessment of the potential of ethanol-rich blends for dedicated small supercharged engines
Energy treatment of lignocellulosic biomass to produce levoglucosane, a fermentable sugar that is a glucose precursor compound
Evaluation of a new additive technology to limit the impacts of direct ethanol/gasoline blending on volatility and water sensitivity

2004
Proteomic analysis and high through-put exploration of fungal resources for modelling the Trichoderma reesei genome with a view to saccharification of wheat staw to obtain fermentable sugars for ethanol production

2003
Development of an internal-membrane ethanol reformer (BIOSTAR)

2002
Overexpression and molecular assembly of complementary fungal enzymes for purposes of producing ethanol from lignocellulosic materials
Enzymatic tools and hydrolysis methodologies for conversion of grain coproducts to bioethanol fuel
Thermochemical conversion of agricultural biomass for production of biofuels

2001
Direct use of ethanol as an alternative fuel for fuel cells
New developments pertaining to producing ethanol from cellulosic residues using Zymomonas mobilis bacteria
Testing of different engines and fuels containing ethanol; possibly also ETBE in 95 unleaded gasoline
Intensifying bioethanol production: control of microbial behaviour, optimisation of bioprocessing operations

2000
Ethanol as an alternative fuel for fuel cells
Producing ethanol from cellulosic residues using Zymomonas mobilis bacteria

1999
Rheological behaviour of maize albumen

1998
Obtaining fuel ethanol from the cellulosic fraction of grain straw
Marketable commodities from beet ethanol vinasse coproducts
Pentose fermentation by a recombinant strain of Zymomonas mobilis
Study of varying proportions of ethanol and premium gasoline in a flexible-fuel vehicle

1997
Blending alcohol in diesel fuel: a study of the effects on fuel composition, engine performance, gaseous and particulate pollutant emissions and energy production
Environmental impact of urban use of biofuels
Estimation of nitrate and pesticide losses in areas of large-scale crop cultivation

1995
Optimised ethanol production from wheat by coupled fermentation/flocculation
Ethanol production from sugar beet substrates: controlling the fermentation stage
Improving the productivity of bioconversion of wheat into ethanol
Designing technical paths for obtaining ethanol from wheat
Identifying technological criteria in order to draw up terms of reference for improving the economics of producing ethanol from wheat
Structural basis of fragmentation and fractionation of cereal grains: influence of pretreatment on mechanical properties and aptitude for separation

1994
Agronomic pathways for wheat production