Sugar-fuel idea simmers - Madison firm seeks gas alternative

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Online
By RICK BARRETT rbarrett@journalsentinel.com
Posted: March 26, 2008

Europe's largest oil company, Royal Dutch Shell PLC, and Madison-based Virent Energy Systems Inc. are teaming up to find ways to produce gasoline directly from plant sugars, a move that could eventually reduce costs associated with biofuels.

Virent is using catalysts to convert plant sugars into hydrocarbon molecules similar to those produced at petroleum refineries. The resulting "biogasoline" has a higher energy content than ethanol and could deliver better fuel efficiency, researchers say.

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