ALMS Adds Isobutanol as Fifth Official Fuel

August 16, 2010

The American Le Mans Series (ALMS) has added a fifth additional official racing fuel, isobutanol, for the 2011 season. The alternative fuel already had a successful test run last season, when the Dyson Racing team ran its Mazda LMP2 coupe on the isobutanol-ethanol blend.

Dyson Racing premiered the fuel at the Mobil 1 “Twelve Hours of Sebring” season opener in Florida last March, and then went on to win Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge, and continued using the fuel for the rest of the 2010 season. This alternative fuel blend, consisting of 20 percent isobutanol and 80 percent ethanol, is a welcome addition in the Green Racing community.

Isobutanol is an organic alcohol with more carbon molecules than ethanol, allowing it to achieve 25 percent more usable energy. It has a molecular structure that is closer to gasoline, resulting in better fuel economy. This fuel is made from sources like crop waste and purposely grown non-food plants, such as switchgrass. Using those materials produces a smaller carbon footprint than gasoline.

BP partnered with Mazda to develop a viable bio race fuel for the Mazda-powered entry during the 2010 season. The new fuel, developed by BP and its partner DuPont through the Butamax™ Advanced Biofuels joint venture, is one of numerous biofuel options that exist. BP says it is focusing on isobutanol because it offers high octane and greater energy density than other biofuel options.

As "the global leader in green racing," ALMS continues to make conceivable efforts to integrate several types of fuels and propulsion systems in the racing series, including clean diesel, E10 (10 percent ethanol, 90 percent gasoline), E85R (85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline), GTL (natural gas to liquid) and hybrid-electric systems. Now, as another alternative fuel makes the list, it will be exciting to see the successes achieved on the tracks this season.

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