Brew fuel

Auckland – Drinks brand DB Export has created a biofuel made from a by-product of beer.

• DB Export Brewtroleum is world’s first beer-derived biofuel
• First customers invited to top up their car with eco-fuel at Auckland launch

An initial 300,000 litres of the fuel, which is made using ethanol produced after brewing DB Export beer, has been created and will be sold in Gull petrol stations. The fuel emits 8% less carbon than traditional petrol, claims DB Export, and performs as well.

‘We saw the opportunity to turn a natural by-product of the brewing process into something that can genuinely help the environment,’ says Sean O’Donnell, head of domestic beer marketing at DB Export. ‘We would love to see DB Export Brewtroleum become a long-term offer; it’s a case of testing consumer demand and assessing the feasibility of continuing production and logistics.’

The Big Picture: Read our Whole-system Thinking macrotrend to find out why brands such as DB Export are using waste to create new products.