A biofuel scientist said he's discovered a way to use the by-products of whisky to fuel your car.
According to Zero Waste Scotland, for every liter of whisky, there's a large amount of waste produced.
By the way, before we get into the science, let's talk about the spelling of the word. That's no typo. While the American liquor is spelled with the e, it is indeed spelled "whisky" in other countries like Scotland.
CNN Business reports that Martin Tangney, founder of Celtic Renewables, uses a fermentation process to transform whisky by-products into biochemicals that can replace some of the petrol and diesel used in cars, and can be used to make other oil-based products, too.
The startup uses a process known as acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation in which bacteria break down the sugars in the whisky draff and pot ale into acids. They in turn are further broken down into solvents such as butanol and ethanol, which can be added to petrol or diesel to power a car. Celtic Renewables has demonstrated its fuel, driving an unmodified Ford on Scottish roads using 15% biobutanol made from whisky.
The challenge would be scale though.
Biofuels only account for approximately 3% of fuel used globally, but Tangney said whisky waste can be used for more than just biofuels. He believes it can be an alternative to oil in plastics, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, clothing, and electronics.
Whisky by-productions don't have to be restricted to just biofuels, according to Tangney. He said waste from other food sectors like dairy could be used too.
"That's where we see ourselves as adding value," he said.