Saab’s UK chief believes that Britain is falling far behind some other European countries in terms of adopting new biofuel technology.

According to the car company’s managing director, by the name of Jonathan Nash, to give confidence to motorists and other players in the emerging sector, stronger signals were needed from government.

He cited Sweden as an example. He said that new and reconditioned filling stations in it were only given planning permission if they stocked E85, which is blended using 85 percent ethanol. In effect, motorists could buy the fuel in more than 800 locations. In the UK it is only available at 15 Morrisons filling stations.

Mr. Nash also said that cars that are designed to run on E85 had a 20 percent increase in power and a 30 percent increase in torque as compared to those running on conventional fuel, but could still use straight petrol where necessary. According to him, people can use cars with smaller engines.

He added that with the technology, sales of Saab models had jumped to 85 percent of total output since they were launched in Sweden and Ireland, in less than 12 months.

He continued that consumers are ready to make the wise choices when offered the right tools, but the government has to offer a long-term but reachable framework.

The managing director further said that LPG or liquid petroleum gas was killed by government policy and that it is now a dead technology. Thus, there are no new and more modern cars that are built with original equipment for LPG.

About Saab

The name SAAB is actually an acronym of “Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget” which means “Swedish Aircraft Company.” Their aircraft legacy is more than a novel piece of historical trivia: It is a persistent design philosophy that makes Saab stand out. Evidences are seen in the cockpit-inspired interiors, the ergonomic controls, and the sleek, aerodynamic lines. Saab AB manufactures broad-based systems solutions, products and services in civil security, defense, aviation and space as well as related areas in the global market. Gripen, developed by Saab AB, is the first of the new generation, multi-role combat aircraft to enter service.

The company sought ways in which to diversify its business and it started to manufacture Saab Automobiles in the late 1940s. The automobile division was based in Trollhättan with the first car being the Saab 92001 on launched in June 10, 1947.

Over the years, Saab designers have been creating innovations such as turbo engines, heated seats, active head restraint systems, cabin air filters, headlamp washers and more.

Founded by 16 aircraft engineers, the brand assures that each single Saab fuel pump meet their high quality standards.

The manufacturers of Saab jets and vehicles are no longer affiliated today.

By: Michelle Crimson

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Biofuels are produced by converting organic matter into fuel for powering our society. These biofuels are an alternative energy source to the fossil fuels that we currently depend upon. The biofuels umbrella includes under its aegis ethanol and derivatives of plants such as sugar cane, as well aS vegetable and corn oils. However, not all ethanol products are designed to be used as a kind of gasoline. The International Energy Agency (IEA) tells us that ethanol could comprise up to 10 percent of the world’s usable gasoline by 2025, and up to 30 percent by 2050. Today, the percentage figure is two percent.

However, we have a long way to go to refine and make economic and practical these biofuels that we are researching. A study by Oregon State University proves this. We have yet to develop biofuels that are as energy efficient as gasoline made from petroleum. Energy efficiency is the measure of how much usable energy for our needed purposes is derived from a certain amount of input energy. (Nothing that mankind has ever used has derived more energy from output than from what the needed input was. What has always been important is the conversion-the end-product energy is what is useful for our needs, while the input energy is just the effort it takes to produce the end-product.) The OSU study found corn-derived ethanol to be only 20% energy efficient (gasoline made from petroleum is 75% energy efficient). Biodiesel fuel was recorded at 69% energy efficiency. However, the study did turn up one positive: cellulose-derived ethanol was charted at 85% efficiency, which is even higher than that of the fantastically efficient nuclear energy.

Recently, oil futures have been down on the New York Stock Exchange, as analysts from several different countries are predicting a surge in biofuel availability which would offset the value of oil, dropping crude oil prices on the international market to $40 per barrel or thereabouts. The Chicago Stock Exchange has a grain futures market which is starting to “steal” investment activity away from the oil futures in NY, as investors are definitely expecting better profitability to start coming from biofuels. Indeed, it is predicted by a consensus of analysts that biofuels shall be supplying seven percent of the entire world’s transportation fuels by the year 2030. One certain energy markets analyst has said, growth in demand for diesel and gasoline may slow down dramatically, if the government subsidizes firms distributing biofuels and further pushes to promote the use of eco-friendly fuel.

There are several nations which are seriously involved in the development of biofuels.

There is Brazil, which happens to be the world’s biggest producer of ethanols derived from sugars. It produces approximately three and a half billion gallons of ethanol per year.

The United States, while being the world’s greatest oil-guzzler, is already the second largest producer of biofuels behind Brazil.

The European Union’s biodiesel production capacity is now in excess of four million (British) tonnes. 80 percent of the EU’s biodiesel fuels are derived from rapeseed oil; soybean oil and a marginal quantity of palm oil comprise the other 20 percent.

By: Jimmy Spier

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One of the best things about biomass is that everyone makes their own literally and everyone can potentially put it to greater use.

On a Personal Scale

A quick search of the web will turn up hundreds of resources on personal-scale biomass energy, including information on products, procedures, energy loans, tax incentives, sources, energy providers and other important data. Here are some things you can do.

* Manufacture your own biodiesel. That’s right. Using common feedstock, anyone in the U.S. can make a gallon of biodiesel for less than a buck. Where do you get feedstock? One common source is restaurants, which have gallons of used vegetable oils they have to dispose of anyway. There are many other sources. With a biodiesel manufacturing setup you can make enough biodiesel to run your car (say, 10 gallons per week) on about %5 to $7 per week, $300 to $400 a year. Buy a brand new diesel car, Volkswagen, for instance, promotes all of its diesels as biofriendly, and stop lining the pockets of the price-gouging, earth-raping, water-polluting oil companies (and you know who they are).

* Buy a diesel vehicle and run it with biodiesel or, at minumum, B20. Better yet, watch for the diesel/electric hybrids that manufacturers have been developing.

On a Community/Regional Scale

* Just because you don’t have any local biofuel makers nearby doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. Biofuel is no longer a ‘fringe’ product, so with a little research and an investment in human energy you can probably convince your town, or your school system, or a group of people interested in forming a cooperative, to do something along these lines:

* Thanks to pressure to “clean up its act,” a public utility in the state of New Hampshire converted a 50-megawatt power plant that had previously been run on coal to on now operating entirely on wood chips as a feedstock. Rather than burning130,000 tons of coal each year, it now uses 400,000 tons of wood scrap from local resources, and emits just a quarter of the NOX and only 2 percent of the SO2 previously pouring into the air.

* The Portland, Oregon, school system has long been a staunch supporter of the Reduce-Reuse-Recycle way of life. Now the schools system has convinced the local division of the largest waste hauler in the U.S. Waste Management, Inc., to run its fleet on B20 biodiesel.

By: Kevin Rockwell

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Abhishek Agarwal asked:


Biofuels may be defined as any fuel obtained from biomass. Biomass is material derived from plants and animals. Experts and environmentalists feel that we need to make changes in our manner of living so that we can protect the planet from global warming. Switching to biofuels for the transportation industry can be one such change.

Some of the Biofuels include vegetable oil, biodiesel, biogas and bioalcohol. Vegetable oil is used to manufacture biodiesel which can be used in cars. Biodiesel is generated through a process known as transesterification by using oils and fats. Today, this is the most commonly used biofuel in the world. Bioalcohols like ethanol fuel and butanol are produced by fermentation of sugars and starch. Biodiesel is a source of renewable energy, since it is plant based. It is a green fuel as it does not release toxic gases in the atmosphere.

Biodiesel can be used in any diesel engine, mixed with the normal diesel. Biobutanol which is also called biogasoline can be used directly in a vehicle as a replacement for gasoline. Biofuels are beneficial to the environment as they reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce our dependence on fossil fuel, increase national energy security, increase rural development and provide a sustainable fuel supply for the future.

Many environmental groups are supporting the use of biofuels since they see it as a significant step towards slowing down climate change. Many countries which are beginning to recognise the importance of bioenergy have dedicated facilities for research, development and deployment. There is exchange of information and co-operation among the nations who realize the importance of reaping the benefits of biofuels.

At present there are a few problems associated with the use of biofuels, one of them being the high cost of production. Another point of note is the extensive deforestation due to the use of wood as a source of biomass, and the negative impact it will have on the environment. There are other issues with bio diesel fuel relating to the transport industry, as it does not perform well in cold climates. The wax crystals formed may clog fuel lines of the vehicles. So vehicles may still have to be powered by gasoline in cold climates unless future research can overcome these problems.

In future however, biofuels should become cost effective, affordable, abundant and eco-friendly. This is a challenge for the scientists and hopefully, with the amount of research being done in the field of biotechnology, the world will get an abundant source of alternative energy. Once the stocks of fossil fuels deplete, and the price of oil rises to unprecedented levels, there will be tremendous pressure to look for alternatives. Biofuels can then be used as an alternative source of energy for powering your cars,boilers and engines as also providing heat and electricity to your homes.