Most extensive evaluation of ethanol vehicles and fuels ever – final report hot off the press
The European BEST project - Bioethanol for Sustainable Transport – has tested and evaluated ethanol vehicles and fuels during four years in eight countries, including China and Brazil. The brand new report shows that ethanol vehicles work well, have rapidly taken market share and make a significant contribution to saving the climate. Project coordinator Gustaf Landahl, City of Stockholm, will present the findings during World Biofuel Markets Congress on March 16 in Amsterdam.(session Biofuels Adaption)
During the BEST-project, around 80,000 ethanol cars (FFVs) and 200 ethanol buses were in operation in the participating cities/regions. Detailed assessments were carried out of around 100 cars (eleven different models) that had driven a total of two million kilometres and 15 ethanol buses with around one million kilometres on the clock.
That FFVs work well and drivers are satisfied comes as no news in the pioneering country of Sweden, but provides important information to other markets. The project shows that fuel consumption is lower in practice than theoretically assumed. At best, ethanol cars only used 1.14 times more E85 than petrol. This indicates that ethanol vehicles actually utilise the energy content of the fuel more efficiently than corresponding petrol vehicles.
Trials with driving diesel cars on ethanol also show that it would be possible to make ethanol cars with even better fuel economy. This, however, requires different materials in engine components to prevent corrosion.
A wide range of low blends – in both petrol and diesel - were tested and evaluated.
As a result of the BEST project, ethanol buses now operate in several countries.
During the project, a major and often hostile debate on ethanol emerged. In response, extensive assessments on the sustainability of biofuels were carried out within the project, led by internationally renowned scientists in the field at Imperial College, London.
Lifecycle analyses carried out in BEST confirmed that bioethanol produced from sugarcane in Brazil contributes greatly to saving the climate. Some European wheat-based bioethanol demonstrated almost the same climate performance. However, the tests also revealed that some bioethanols has low climate benefit.
The now concluded BEST project was led by the City of Stockholm. Project coordinator Gustaf Landahl:
'We have strived to look at the entire lifecycle and put results in relation to both fossil fuels and other renewable alternatives.
We hope, therefore, that facts produced in BEST, by way of detailed basic documentation, will be considered by those who for various reasons and on behalf of various actors in society work with strategies for sustainable transport and fuels.'
The BEST final report provides a summary of the studies carried out within the project.
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