ASTON University has announced a major partnership with a world-leading ‘green’ motor racing team to help develop the next generation of biofuel technology.
The partnership with Drayson Racing will research and demonstrate how ‘second generation’ biofuels can create high performance cars with reduced CO2 emissions. The fuels use waste biomass, so are not depending on the harvesting of specially grown crops.
Lord Drayson, the former UK Minister for Science, formed Drayson Racing to act as a practical laboratory to pioneer the development of green technologies and remove reliance on fossil fuels.
Last year, the Drayson team achieved the first ever international pole position and victory for a bio-ethanol-fuelled Lola race car in the American Le Mans Series endurance race. The unique 200 mph Flex-Fuel race car produced around 40% less carbon than the petrol fuelled that it beat.
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Next generation biofuels are seen as providing one of the most cost-effective ways of reducing CO2 emissions over the next two decades. They are produced from waste biomass such as straw, wood and sewage sludge, removing reliance on dedicated food crops.
The extreme conditions experienced in motor racing are regarded as an ideal test platform and showcase for the technology.
The Drayson/Aston University tie-up will focus on using sources such as organic waste, improving the stability and reliability of the fuels and developing component materials which are capable of surviving a highly aggressive biofuel environment.
Aston University’s expertise in low carbon and sustainable research includes involvement in the UK’s largest study into long-term low carbon vehicle use, investigating the performance of fuel cells, electric, and hydrogen power cars.
Lord Drayson said: “I’m thrilled to be working with Aston University on this exciting and important research area which leverages Aston’s leadership in biofuels research and their established links with the biotech and automotive industries. We have pioneered the use of second-generation cellulosic bio-ethanol in motor racing for over four years.”
Professor Robert Berry, Executive Dean of Engineering at Aston University, said;”This new partnership is extremely exciting for us all. The opportunity to partner with Drayson Racing is particularly unique and motivating: working at the leading edge of this highly competitive sport where engines and drivers are operating at their respective limits will encourage a real acceleration of research results into practice.”
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