Tanked up: Brewer claims world first by turning beer into eco-friendly petrol

A brewery has given a new meaning to the phrase tanked up after becoming the first in the world to use beer as petrol. New Zealand brewer DB Export has produced the first biofuel using lager by-products, mixing 30,000 litres of ethanol with 300,000 litres of premium petrol. Sean O'Donnell, head of domestic beer marketing at DB, said: “Like many great Kiwi inventions, DB Export Brewtroleum was an idea sparked over a few beers. We’re helping Kiwis save the world by doing what they enjoy best – drinking beer.“

This is a genuinely exciting opportunity. It’s a world first.

Sean O'Donnell, DB marketeer

The brewer started supplying its Brewtroleum biofuel at more than 60 Gull sites across the North Island. The first batch is expected to last about six weeks and is a test to see if it’s feasible in the longer term. Mr O'Donnell said: "We saw the opportunity to take the natural by-product of the brewing process and turn it into something that can genuinely help the environment. To now be selling it through a major petrol retailer like Gull shows the power of not just having smart ideas but turning them into reality.”

We applaud DB Export for showing a bit of Kiwi ingenuity – it just goes to show how many opportunities are out there to make viable biofuels and help the environment.

David Bodger, general manager of Gull New Zealand

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