Beer Could Be the Answer – To the Gasoline Problem At least

Beer could potentially be a sustainable replacement for gasoline

Gasoline (or petrol for us in the UK) is a problem. If we overlook the environmental problems (which are improving given better efficiencies in engines) there is only so much of it we can easily obtain.

Beer, on the other hand, is plentiful and entirely sustainable. Plus, according to some advertisements from the 1940’s, it’s also good for you. Then again a lot of those adverts also said that smoking was good for us.

While electric cars may fill a void, the problem we have here is that the energy required to charge the car is not endless either. The only real long-term solution we have at present for the energy crisis is Nuclear Power and we all know how controversial they are.

Well, a breakthrough has found that the answer to the gasoline problem may actually be beer.

How beer can fuel your car

In a report via the Metro, chemists at the University of Bristol have, for several years, been working on a way to convert ethanol into butanol.

Ethanol is basically the ingredient in alcohol which makes us fall over. Despite this side effect for us, we have already proven that it can be used to power engines. There is, however, a couple problems with ethanol. Firstly, it is an exceptionally inefficient fuel, secondly, it has also been found to corrode metal.

Butanol, however, is far more energy efficient. In addition, based on the fact that 90% of beer is just water, we have plenty of it to go around. In addition to this, beer contains the easiest source of ethanol for the conversion.

The team at the university are currently developing their conversion catalyst further. They hope to have a practical implementation within 5 years.

With France planning an outright ban on the sale of gasoline and diesel cars by 2040, beer might be the answer to the problem is electricity isn’t.

What do you think? Could beer be the answer? – Let us know in the comments!