Joule and Audi drive towards biofuels future

US-based biofuels producer Joule has signed a partnership with car manufacturer Audi to aid with its future production.

The car brand will test and validate Joule’s future biofuels production with a view to moving towards carbon-neutral driving. The producer has also commissioned a demonstration plant in New Mexico which will use sunlight and CO₂ to create ethanol.

‘Joule and the fuels it is developing can ultimately enable sustainable mobility, as its highly-efficient process consumes waste CO₂ emissions, avoids depletion of natural resources and doesn’t require agricultural feedstock or arable land,’ says head of environmental products at Audi, Reiner Mangold.

Joule’s bioreactor design is modular and fits into a four-acre site meaning it can scale up to larger volumes by adding more of the same modules. The company raised $70 million (€53.5 million) in January to help finance this construction with an overall $110 million in funds overall.