MAZDA, BP DEBUT ADVANCED BIOFUEL AT PETIT LE MANS RACE
In the ongoing rolling technology showcase that is the American Le Mans
Series, MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development, Dyson Racing and their
primary Series sponsor and technical partner, BP, will fuel one of their
Mazda MZR- R-powered Lola coupe racecars with a fuel combining both
ethanol and biobutanol - an advanced biofuel that BP is developing with
its partner DuPont - in the 12th annual Pqetit Le Mans powered by MAZDA6.
"This weekend's debut of an ethanol and biobutanol blend in our American
Le Mans Series race car is the perfect example of the technical
relationship between Mazda and BP," said Robert Davis, Senior Vice
President, Product Development and Quality for Mazda North American
Operations, and the man responsible for the company's North American
motorsport programs under the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development banner.
"Advanced biofuels such as biobutanol, along with the choice to use
a production-derived 2.0-liter turbocharged MZR-R engine, shows the
commitment that both Mazda and BP have to bringing clean, efficient,
environmentally sensitive technologies to motorsports, and using
motorsports to improve those products before we offer them for sale to
the general public."
In order to continue development of the advanced biofuel in a racing
environment, Dyson Racing will run one of its cars using the standard
Series-approved fuel (car 20), and the other (car 16) on biobutanol.
Through open and ongoing discussion between Mazda, American Le Mans
Series technical personnel and other participating teams the gasoline,
ethanol and biobutanol-blend-fueled car (car 16) will not participate
for Series points during the Petit Le Mans weekend.
BP is a leading energy company with significant investments in advanced
biofuels. It is looking for opportunities in biofuels that make both a
contribution to energy security and a material reduction in greenhouse
gas emissions compared with conventional fuels. BP is committed to
using economically and environmentally sustainable feedstocks and
is developing new technologies to make good biofuels even better.
Participation in American Le Mans Series competition offers BP a unique
opportunity to produce new fuels and biofuel components, as well as
demonstrate the performance of these fuels.
Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Mazda North American Operations
oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of
Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through more than
850 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc.,
located in Ontario, Canada, and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in
Mexico City.
Biobutanol facts:
. Biobutanol shares many of the environmental
advantages of ethanol and has additional benefits, including:
. Blends into gasoline at higher concentrations than ethanol without the
need to modify vehicles. . Offers excellent fuel economy that is close
to that of gasoline.
. Can be used alongside ethanol to help improve the performance of
ethanol/gasoline blends.
. Can be used in existing gasoline (petrol) supply and distribution
channels, eliminating the need for expensive infrastructure investments.
Production:
. Can utilize a variety of conventional feedstocks (such as sugar cane,
corn, wheat and sorghum), supporting global implementation.
. In future, biobutanol can be produced from cellulosic feedstocks,
including fast-growing energy crops (e.g. energy grasses) or
agricultural by-products (e.g. corn stalks).
Environmental Benefits:
. Initial indications are that, on the same feedstock basis, biobutanol
delivers emission reductions that are at least as good as ethanol.
. Biobutanol's low vapour pressure (lower than gasoline), means that
vapor pressure specifications do not need to be compromised leading to
higher VOC emissions.
-credit: alms
