European auto giants Volkswagen and Daimler have picked up a minority stake in Biofuel Company CHOREN. The crux of this partnership is to provide widespread market introduction for BTL (Biomass to Liquid).
CHOREN’s BTL is a second-generation biofuel produced from biogenic feedstock and residue, so it does not compete with food and fodder production.
Being a second-generation biofuel, BTL is clean fuel that is nearly free of sulphur and has a good CO2 balance.
Currently, an annual production of 200,000 metric tons is envisaged, starting from CHOREN’s BTL Plant (Beta Plant) at Freiberg.
The Freiberg Plant will have an annual production capability of 15,000 metric tons; enough to meet the annual requirements of 15,000 plants.
Further expansion will follow with construction of a 200,000 metric ton plant in Germany. It is estimated that 10 to 15 such plants can cut down CO2 emissions by 3 million metric tons by 2020.
Use of BTL does not require changes in existing fuel infrastructure and it is compatible with present as well as future diesel technologies.
[Courtesy: Volkswagen]
