The number of on-road vehicles is increasing day by day and so is the demand for fuel. Fuel is non-renewable mineral resource and we have to find out an alternative to it. Even with the existing fuel consumption it is very difficult to go much far and at the same time the level of pollution is also increasing. Austria is going to start with this step and from December onwards the customers there will be able to fill their vehicles with a renewable locally produced fuel.
The fuel is named as Biomethane and is prepared by fermenting meadow grass (Poa pratensis). The grass itself is grown organically that means without any synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. It even does not depend on grains and oilseeds. This grass is found in very large area in Austria and was used as grazing of the livestock. In US it is known as Kentucky bluegrass.
The first biomethane gas station is opened in Eugendorf, Austria and a company called Salzburg AG produces the fuel. From December the customers will be made available this fuel with a blend of 20% CO2 –natural biogas and 80% natural gas. The price of this fuel is not disclosed but it will beat all present transport fuel price.
Salzburg AG is the first such company to build a new gas infrastructure, a 2 km pipeline, which helps the upgraded biogas to reach its local natural gas grid. The Company has plans to supply this ‘Bioerdgas’ to 14 such stations by 2008.
One hectare of land with this grass can yield between 2,900- 5,400 cubic metres of pure methane per year, which will be sufficient to fuel a car for 40,000 to 60,000 kms. Roughly estimating we get the figure of 10,000 to 15,000 miles from one acre of crops.
Via: Metaefficient
