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Engineers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, US have developed a fuel from sugar that contains more energy than ethanol.

Wisconsin has developed a process that turns biomass-derived sugar into 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF). The transport fuel has 40 per cent more energy than ethanol – comparable to gasoline.

Professor James Dumesic said: “Ethanol has limitations. It has relatively low energy density, evaporates easily and can be contaminated by water. It also requires an energy-intensive distillation process.”

Dumesic’s process involves a series of steps involving acid and copper catalysts. Fructose is converted to HMF in water using an acid catalyst in the presence of a low boiling point solvent. A salt and butanol solvent extracts HMF and carries it to a separate location.

More research is required before the technology can be commercialised.