Japan takes a chip out of the biodiesel market

A Japanese government-affiliated research institute has developed technology for creating a diesel fuel from materials such as grass cuttings and wood chips.

Similar technology exists for bioethanol fuel for petrol cars, but the research would be a world first for diesel vehicles.

The Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE) is aiming for commercial production by 2010. RITE was established in 1990 by the government and leading Japanese firms in such industries as automobiles and power.

The biodiesel fuel uses butanol made using genetically modified microorganisms. The biobutanol is created by cultivating a number of microbes and adding sugar produced by breaking down plant fibres such as grass and tree cuttings, wood and rice straw.

Biodiesel fuels have been made from materials like coconut and tempura oils. There has been competition among RITE, BP of the UK, US company DuPont and others to create a biodiesel fuel from plants. RITE has already applied for an international patent on the technology.