SAAB News: News from the biofuel E85
Saab was one of the pioneers in introducing bioethanol. One of the Saab core competencies was the many years of experience with multi-fuel engines, which began in the 90 years. Saab riders driving a Saab 9-5 of the first series or a Saab 9-3 can look forward to some additional horsepower when they opt for the BioPower Concept. The innovative, unique Saab Trionic makes it possible.
Unfortunately, E85 was written dead as fuel by the media, and in Sweden, too, the fossil energy lobby managed to push the biofuel out of the limelight. Ethanol of the first generation is obtained, among other things, from feed or sugar cane, so the criticism is justified at first glance. Anyone who had dealt with the subject years ago, realized that this type of production would only be a bridge to the future.
Because in the long term it was planned to produce E85 from residues of the food production. In Sweden, these are concrete waste from the country's large forestry, such as wood chips and wood waste. In Germany, E85 is to be produced from wastes from agricultural production, more specifically from straw.
The largest German pilot plant for ethanol 14 went into operation in Straubing 2.0 days ago. The chemical company Clariant will use its further developed “sunliquid” technology to produce up to 4.500 tons of cellulose ethanol from around 1.000 tons of wheat straw.
Altogether, studies indicate a potential of around 22 million tons of straw, which can be used for energy in Germany, taking into account the necessary soil regeneration. This could cover about 25% of the current petrol demand in Germany.
Straubing is conveniently located in the Bavarian granary, the transport routes to the plant of the Swiss concern are short. The facility in the Bio Campus Straubing is located on the Danube harbor over which the products can be shipped. For the rural regions of Bavaria or for the large agricultural areas in the northeast E85 could bring additional jobs.
Ethanol 2.0 would be a fuel that could do without painful discussion. Bio-fuels from Germany could have a future, even if the policy would provide for appropriate framework conditions. After all, we have been boldly announced the energy turnaround and perhaps you understand that E85 could be a small, if unspectacular building block to it.
Presumably not, because the lobby for fossil energy is strong and in Germany the burning of diesel fuel is still preferred.
Saab had proven with its multi-fuel engines vision and competence. Who drives a Saab with the BioPower concept, has made the right decision. Whether we ever get the right cars from Sweden again is uncertain. In any case, the Saab Trionic would have been history with our automaker as well. With the introduction of the Saab 9-3 Griffin, the conversion to gasoline direct injection took place here as well. This was Robert Bosch instead of Saab-Trionic under the hood.
Saab BioPower would have then, as in the Saab 9-5 II, still given. But without performance increase through the bio fuel and without additional driving pleasure. But with a good environmental conscience.
Text: tom@saabblog.net
Hallo,
I'm new here and drive a few weeks ago a saab 9-3x griffin biopower.
In Saxony we have e85 at the GULF gas stations.
They get the E85 from the regional producer Verbio from Zörbig. There is one of the most modern facilities where grain E85 is made.
http://www.verbio.de
.... so full of bio power (-:
More consumption I can also confirm 2-3Liter through e85 + automatic.
Somehow the trees make sense: give more gas -> more exhaust gas, more CO2 -> more photosynthesis -> bigger trees 🙂
It doesn't really surprise me that E85 has been a common fuel in Sweden for a relatively long time, and that Swedish cars have been alcohol-resistant for a relatively long time. It is somehow difficult to understand that here and in most other countries they prefer to burn an expensive raw material (mineral oil and its distillates) instead of doing it with industrial waste, such as wood residues from forestry as in Sweden. Well, the German forest industry cannot quite keep up with the Swedish one, but if one were to rely on E85 production in the areas of Germany with a strong agricultural character, one could really reduce the consumption of mineral oil with it. But as already mentioned - that is not an intended goal, unfortunately.
By the way - when I asked again, Hirsch wrote to me that my 9-5 (I), built in 1998/99, is not E85-compatible. The E-85 suitability only seems to apply to later years of the I-series.
Would be funny, if the trees would have such in the turbo display
Bioethanol and fir trees! Or is it maybe IKEA spruce? I had exactly this thought when I bought a 2007PS 150-9 Sport Combi BioPower in 5. Contrary to the prospectus advertising at the time, this model did not have a boost pressure indicator on delivery (especially none with trees, of course). However, I found the trees really great. And so I turned to the SAAB Service with a certain wink and asked for help with the procurement of the trees. After all, that would have been an icing on the cake for advertising strategists to use the fir trees ...
Unfortunately, one was at this time probably busy with other problems, and so I was several times rather rude from a clerk to all the rules of art abgewimmelt. Even the extensive efforts of my SAAB dealer Auto Herz in Trier showed no success.
Strange: I would have even paid a good money for the conversion of the central instrument and other necessary internals. At that time, GM's iron rake at SAAB was omnipresent, so that this request of a loyal SAAB customer died away unheard. In any case, my dealer could not have been lying there: he pulled out the proverbial leg for the trees!
Well: the 9-5 is still in the fleet and will stay there. He recently got a stag for the front inside and one for the back from Auto Herz. A completely unspectacular one hour campaign for download and documentation. While you can enjoy a delicious coffee (or two or three) in a pleasant family atmosphere, work is done with the utmost care and dedication in this second generation car dealership. It is not without reason that I travel extravagantly from Munich for any service ...
And the result of the deer cure? Simply phenomenal! Full power and with the same driving style approx. 8-10% less bioethanol consumption than without deer. Well: in the end it will stay the same without ecology: the existing service is gladly used: o). With this modification bioethanol is really fun!
Thanks to a reasonably well-developed network of filling stations, you can now get almost anywhere in Germany with bioethanol, even with forced driving. Of course, a bit of planning is required. It is high time that the power of the fossil lobby is broken!
Christoph
The boost pressure display with the trees wanted to have some fans at that time. By the way, too ;-). Unfortunately, this instrument was only for the study, in the series it would have been the hit!
Tom,
E85 is a very interesting fuel. Unfortunately, the European political class does not quite agree with that.
I hope that more and more policy papers like this one from the research community will become public, thus increasing the pressure on politics.
http://www.atzonline.de/Aktuell/Nachrichten/1/16327/Forscher-praesentieren-Strategiepapier-Bioethanol.html
It is a bit schizophrenic to introduce E10 to reduce CO2 output while ignoring E85.
I read the article, nice when your own opinion is scientifically supported. 😉
Sounds too good to be true and does not read any, alternative fuels do not seem to have a chance in Germany.
The German automotive industry has committed to diesel and does not move.
Can only agree, we are also on the way with the biopower saabrio. pure fun!
Unfortunately, there are no E85 gas stations in the west of Austria, but then we make more trips to Bavaria. Italy is unfortunately still a desert as far as the E85 gas stations are concerned. not even oases are there. With us in Austria the diesel discussion is in full swing right now. How damaging and also tax-privileged diesel is, yes, everyone now knows. Therefore, bioethanol promotion would certainly not be a mistake.
However, I also heard that German manufacturers build cars for Scandinavia with E85 engines. What irony.
That's right, Volkswagen is selling the Ethanol Passat quite well and is putting pressure on the other brand from Sweden ...
Hello Tom!
This report is also a business news that should not come anymore? 😉
But fine, the theme deserves it.
Does the ethanol produced in Straubing then enter the production of E85 as normal? Since 2008 I drive a SAAB 9-3 BioPower Convertible. 25 PS more, but also higher consumption. At the current fuel prices, the operation with E85 but pays off. Nevertheless, I have to defend myself again and again, because because of my E85 consumption, the Mexicans no longer get tortillas or because the rainforests are cleared. The new plant in Straubing could overturn the discussion if it then becomes public. But except here on this blog I have not heard / read about it yet. Thanks for that.
I think ethanol can, at least for a transitional period, reduce dependence on oil and create additional jobs in agriculture and refineries. Sounds better to me than shipping oil with tankers over the oceans, but, as I said, can only be an interim solution on the way to a more environmentally friendly individual mass mobility. Too bad that this chapter is not rewritten by SAAB.
All SAABists have a nice day!
Greetings from Bad Salzdetfurth!