ABFuels

ABFuels intends to transform agroindustrial byproducts into an alternative to food-based bioethanol.

The demand for biofuel increases on a daily basis, however, generating this type of fuel forces agricultural expansion over large areas of land.  In Argentina alone, 300,000 hectares of land are used every year for bioethanol production, a surface that increases every year.

The aim of ABFuels is to contribute to the reduction of deforestation and culture deterioration in border zones while preserving natural biodiversity. Besides the reduction of land use, the implementation of advanced biofuels could limit greenhouse emissions.

To decrease the negative effects of regular bioethanol, the team has been working towards developing an advanced version of it, which instead of coming from plant’s seeds or fruits, comes from industries leftovers. How do ABFuels seek to transform agroindustrial byproducts into fuel? Their method breaks down biomass (organic wastes) and separates the fermentable polysaccharides (cellulose and hemicellulose for producing bioethanol) from the lignin by using different treatments.

Provided that bioethanol is widely used around the world, their customer base is already established. And even with the move towards other sustainable modes of transportation, such as electric cars, ABFuels has the potential to support the aviation sector where sustainability is still a major issue.