Categories
Tags
animal welfare
breed profile
buying a car
buying a pet
Car
car accessories
car care
car features
car insurance
Car safety
car sales
car service
cat
cat behaviour
cat body language
Cat Breeds
cat food
cat insurance
comprehensive car insurance
Dog
Dog Behaviour
dog body language
Dog Breeds
dog food
Dog Insurance
dog training
eco friendly cars
Kitten
New Car
pet accessories
pet activities
Pet Adoption
pet breeders
pet days of the year
pet fun stuff
Pet Health
pet insurance
pet parenting
Pet Safety
pet services
Puppy
rescue pets
road safety
road trip
safe driving
Recent Blog:
Facebook Posts
2 days ago
Growing old sometimes means we can’t take care of pets anymore. Find out some advice on what to do when this happens: Senior Pet Parents – Contingency Plans for Your Pet – bit.ly/44bzwkS
... See MoreSee Less
Senior Pet Parents' Contingency Plans for Pets
Sometimes senior pet parents need more downtime. For older pet owners, this can be tricky to navigate if their dog or cat is full of beans and wants to4 days ago
Before you rev up the engine, let’s run through a checklist of things to do before starting your car. Not only do these steps ensure your safety (and that of others around you), but they also help in maintaining your vehicle's longevity. Driving Tips: Your Checklist Before Starting Your Car -
... See MoreSee Less
Driving Tips: Your Checklist Before Starting Your Car
Heading out for a drive? Hold up a second! Whether you're dashing off to work, running errands, or embarking on a road trip adventure, there are a few1 week ago
Are intestinal worms setting up camp in your dog’s gut without paying rent? Here’s how to spot the main culprits and get rid of them too: Preventing, Identifying and Treating Intestinal Worms in Dogs - bit.ly/43YjCKu
... See MoreSee Less
Preventing, Identifying and Treating Intestinal Worms in Dogs
Intestinal worms, such as roundworms in dogs are one of the least glamorous topics on the planet. These intestinal parasites that basically use our dogsGreen cars are really all the rage these days. And the possibilities just keep getting stranger… like a car powered by whiskey! It might sound far-fetched but a Scottish (obviously?) scientist is testing the limits with whiskey waste as fuel.
Just because you shouldn’t drink and drive doesn’t mean your car can’t take one for the team and have a drink for the road.
How would a car powered by whiskey work?
In theory, this all sounds great. The more whiskey you drink (a long time before driving, of course), the more waste is created and the further you can drive your car. Right?
Well, sort of. Here’s how it actually works. Sit down, because things are about to get science-y!
How do you turn waste from whiskey into fuel?
Whiskey is made from grains and yeast mixed together with water. Over time, this mixture vapourises and eventually that famously good Scottish single malt is born (see a fuller explanation of the process here). Obviously, there’s very little waste of the actual vapourised liquid. Unless you’re drinking it mixed with Coke, because then it’s definitely being wasted.
The remainder of the mix isn’t used though, and because whiskey is only around 10% of the mixture most distilleries have to pay large amounts to remove the waste each year. Here’s where the fuel magic comes in.
Celtic Renewables, a company based in Edinburgh, has managed to develop a process which creates fuel from the leftover grains and liquid in the whiskey making process. This waste produces a biofuel called biobutanol.
An alternative to regular fuel, this can be mixed in with fuel and pumped directly into cars without the need for adjustments to their engines. Over time, not only could this save you money, it could help save the planet too.. Substituting petrol with biobutanol reduces the CO2 produced.
If saving money is your primary motivator though (it’s a good one) then check out our tips on saving for a new car.
What’s next for the whiskey waste fuel?
Celtic Renewables has definitely been making waves. Since testing the fuel in 2017 they’ve raised over $50 million in funding. This funding will be put to good use in building the first biorefinery in Scottish history. The new plant is expected to be up and running this year, and will process around 50,000 tonnes of waste each year from the whiskey industry.
If all goes well, they’ll be able to produce an incredible amount of biofuel; around 50 million litres.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed that sooner rather than later, Australians will be driving around in whiskey-powered cars. And with the money and CO2 savings that brings car owners, perhaps we’ll see an easing of some of the road rage we see on Aussie roads!
Keen to up your green motoring credentials well before these booze-fuelled cars hit the market? Consider our article on the 5 Wallet-Friendly Ways of Eco-Friendly Cars.
Or you might go as far as looking into the best electric car for your lifestyle. New car time, perhaps…
Browse car insurance (for your whiskey-free car)
While you’re deciding whether your future whiskey-powered car will be red or black (hot tip: the safest car colours are black and green), have you insured your current one? Having an accident without sufficient insurance could be a real financial burden.
Check out our car insurance options here.
A car powered by whiskey, or…? Over to you!
What other weird and wacky alternative fuels have you heard about? Let us know on our Facebook page!
Share On: