The Eco-Friendly Fuel of the Future

(Mazda) A carbon-negative crop that can contribute to the mitigation of climate change, algae are also a viable source of biofuel. Working with Hiroshima University, Mazda is making significant inroads into its future use.

Seaweed is synonymous with Japanese cuisine and has been cultivated since organised farming began in Edo Bay in the mid-17th century. It is also the focus of climate-change-enforced innovation, as farmers look to cross-pollinate varieties to create new crops more resilient to rising sea temperatures.

Seaweeds and other algae can be grown without the need for pesticides and fertilisers, and do not cause any major physical change to the environment. Moreover, they can play an important role in fighting climate change by absorbing carbon emissions and regenerating marine ecosystems. They are also developing a reputation as a sustainable and eco-friendly resource for biofuel production.

Attention is turning to microalgae – microscopic algae invisible to the naked eye – with a species known as Nannochloropsis now at the forefront of biofuel research. In cooperation with Hiroshima University, Mazda is employing cutting-edge technology to develop high-quality oil from Nannochloropsis, with a view to using it as a substitute for fossil fuels in future Mazda vehicles.

This algae grows rapidly and can produce a large amount of lipids – naturally occurring fats – making it ideal for biofuel production.

“The oils produced by Nannochloropsis can be easily converted to biodiesel, a fuel which is compatible with most engines in Mazda vehicles,” explains Professor Atsushi Sakamoto of the Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life at Hiroshima University. “That being said, there are still several major issues to tackle before this kind of biofuel can be put into practical use at a competitive cost.”

Mazda has already been experimenting with biofuel at the race track, with the Mazda2 Bio Concept on the Fuji International Speedway.

“Our joint research with Mazda offers an important solution for CO₂ reduction: It tackles the difficult challenge of achieving carbon neutrality while continuing to make use of the internal combustion engine and its infrastructure – which are used in every corner of the globe,” Sakamoto says.

“We have set our sights on achieving carbon neutrality in Mazda’s factory operations by 2035, and we recognise the need to extend this commitment to our logistics operations, which are an integral part of our business,” says Shinichiro Maeda from Mazda’s Advanced Environmental Technology Research Field. “The demand for HVO from the existing pool of waste cooking oil is expected to soar, creating supply shortages and higher prices, so we are exploring the use of microalgae biofuel as a means to bridge the potential supply gap.”

“Its (enome-editing technology's) application extends beyond achieving carbon neutrality and spans a wide array of sectors, including medicine and agriculture, and we believe that beneficial materials, characterised by high-added value, can be co-produced alongside biofuel.” READ MORE

Excerpt from Mazda: The Mazda is competing in the ST-Q class, which is exclusively for special, non-homologation vehicles. In other words, it’s a place for manufacturers to try out experimental cars. In the case of Mazda, its Zekken 55 Mazda2 Bio concept is fuelled by 100 per cent biodiesel, made from used cooking oil and microalgae fats.

Although the world is shifting fast to fully electric vehicles (EVs), driven largely by the European Green Deal, which has set an objective for EU nations to become carbon neutral by 2050, there are many questions that arise from pursuing a pure-electric automotive strategy. Is the source of the electricity eco-friendly? Are the source materials used in the manufacture of the batteries and the vehicles themselves sustainable and environmentally friendly? And what about those nations where electricity is still not readily available to everyone?

All of these questions and more are being tackled head-on by Mazda, and Mazda President Akira Marumoto stresses, “We are delivering a multi-solution approach that offers various powertrains depending on each country or region’s policies.” So while Mazda has the MX-30 EV in its lineup, and is constantly developing and improving its powertrains and technologies to be compatible within existing infrastructures worldwide, it’s also looking to alternative energy sources to oil.

The Mazda2 Bio concept trial is one strand of the company’s multi-solution approach. In 2018, Mazda launched Your Green Fuel, a project that saw it partner with Euglena, a Japanese company that’s set to mass produce next-generation biodiesel at a commercial plant from 2025.

Euglena’s Susteo biodiesel is made entirely from Japanese products and it is officially recognised as diesel fuel by Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS). Susteo consists of a combination of microalgae that contains a lot of fats, cultured in an Okinawa factory, and waste oil such as cooking oil, .... READ MORE