Meanwhile, DuPont and BP have to perfect the technology to improve production of biobutanol.
Biobutanol has greater tolerance of moisture and lower vapor pressure, says DuPont Chief Innovation Officer Thomas Connelly .
Cobalt is aiming to produce biobutanol for as much as two dollars per gallon less than petroleum-based butanol.
FORBES: Cobalt Technologies Pushes The Green Chemical Envelope
Biobutanol can blend effectively with gasoline and ethanol, and can be used in existing transportation-pipeline infrastructure, DuPont says.
In the process, germs would be souped up to make ethanol, biobutanol or other fuels from plants like corn.
Cobalt engineers also figured out a way to ferment the wood starch into biobutanol in a more concentrated fashion.
FORBES: Cobalt Technologies Pushes The Green Chemical Envelope
The two companies plan to introduce the first generation of biobutanol in the U.K. by the end of 2007.
The fact that biobutanol is more energy efficient than ethanol does not wipe out ethanol's appeal, says Clean Edge's Pernick.
Cobalt Technologies says it can succeed where others have so far failed and produce a chemical called biobutanol using cellulosic feedstocks.
FORBES: Cobalt Technologies Pushes The Green Chemical Envelope
One distinct advantage of biobutanol: Cars can use close to 100% of the fuel without making any vehicle modifications, DuPont says.
And they hope to roll out an improved second-generation biobutanol by 2010.
"Biobutanol is higher performance in the engine, and that will translate into higher miles to the gallon, " said DuPont Chief Executive Charles Holliday .
It aims to produce biobutanol (from sugar cane, in Brazil) for use as a fuel or fuel additive beginning in 2013 or 2014.
FORBES: Cobalt Technologies Pushes The Green Chemical Envelope
The plant, with a capacity of 470, 000 gallons a year, is under construction now and is expected to begin producing biobutanol in April 2012.
FORBES: Cobalt Technologies Pushes The Green Chemical Envelope
Chemicals giant DuPont ( DD) teamed with British oil company BP ( BP) in 2006 to make biobutanol, but the venture, Butamax, has moved slowly.
FORBES: Cobalt Technologies Pushes The Green Chemical Envelope
BP, a British energy firm, has worked out how to industrialise the process of making biobutanol, as the chemical is commonly known when it is the product of fermentation.
"Biobutanol is higher performance in the engine, and that will translate into higher miles to the gallon, " said DuPont (nyse: DD - news - people ) Chief Executive Charles Holliday .
DuPont and BP, riding the global wave of enthusiasm for bio-based fuels, announced today that the two companies have developed a new biofuel called biobutanol that they say has 30% more energy density than ethanol.
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