DuPont spends $58 million on 2 biofuels plants in U.K.

DuPont spends $58 million on 2 biofuels plants in U.K. Chemical giant DuPont said it would spend $58 million on biofuel production assets for two facilities as part of a partnership with BP and British Sugar.
   DuPont plans to build a biobutanol demonstration facility with BP, the first of its kind in the world, according to a company press release Tuesday.
   In addition, DuPont, BP and British Sugar will construct a 420-million-liter ethanol plant that would help meet the United Kingdom’s 2010 Renewable Fuels Obligation.
   DuPont said both facilities would be located at BP’s existing operations at Saltend, Hull, about 360 kilometers north of London.
   The research and demonstration facility would be the first in the world designed to develop a range of biofuels, including biobutanol from feedstocks such as wheat, corn, barley and rye. It’s expected to be operational in early 2009, the company said.
   Biobutanol is an advanced biofuel that performs more like unleaded gasoline than traditional biofuels. In addition, biobutanol can be blended in higher concentrations without the need to modify vehicles.