Shell to Offer Wheat Straw Biofuel

Shell first to sell gasoline blended with advanced biofuel

10/06/2009 -- From today, customers at a Shell service station will become the first in the world to fill their tanks with gasoline containing advanced biofuel made from wheat straw.

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For one month starting June 10, the regular gasoline purchased at a Shell service station in Ottawa, Canada will contain 10% cellulosic ethanol. The biofuel is produced locally from non-food raw materials at Iogen Energy Corporation’s demonstration plant, using advanced conversion processes. Iogen and Shell are partners in the plant, which now produces 40,000 litres of fuel per month.

Cellulosic ethanol, as an end fuel, is identical to ethanol but it can offer up to 90% less lifecycle CO2 emissions than gasoline. It is a key part of Shell’s strategic investment and development programme in sustainable biofuels.

“I am excited we are leading the pack in cellulosic ethanol production technology and, with this event, showing what is possible in the future,” said Dr. Graeme Sweeney, Shell Executive Vice President Future Fuels and CO2. “While it will be some time before general customers can buy this product at local service stations, we are working with governments to make large-scale production economic.”

“We’re proud of this world-first,” said Brian Foody, Chief Executive Officer of Iogen Corporation. “Building a demo plant is one thing but you then need to go through the process of operating the new technology at scale, learning, modifying and lowering costs. With the volumes we’re producing today, we’re confident about the future.”

Source: Shell Oil