Green Biologics, based in Oxfordshire, has received £250,000 from the Department of Trade and Industry and £310,000 from shareholder investors and business angels.
The company is developing a way of manufacturing biobutanol – a renewable fuel which, unlike other types of biofuels, has a similar amount of energy per litre to petrol.
Biobutanol is not currently used as a biofuel as its production costs are too high, however Green Biologics thinks it can reduce these costs by a third.
Dr Edward Green, Green Biologics founder and chief executive, said: “Biofuels, such as biobutanol, are sustainable and environmentally friendly ‘next generation’ fuels that will extend, and ultimately replace, fossil fuels such as petrol and diesel.
“Although butanol is not currently used as a biofuel, it has a number of properties that make it extremely attractive.
“It is a renewable liquid fuel, produced from the fermentation of sugars, which can easily be integrated into the existing fuel infrastructure by blending with petrol.
“Unlike bioethanol, it offers similar energy per litre to petrol, has low vapour pressure and is easy to store, handle and transport via pipelines.”
Green Biologics is partnering with EKB Technology, a specialist in innovative process technology, to develop an advanced fermentation process for butanol.
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