Monday 20 April 2020

Mazda backs carbon-neutral biofuel research

Mazda has announced it is currently involved in joint research projects and studies in Japan as part of an ongoing industry-academia-government collaboration to promote the widespread adoption of biofuels from microalgae.

Acknowledging the fact that improving productivity and reducing costs are fundamental to the widespread future availability of algae biofuels, the firm has offered technical support to the research teams of Hirosima University and Tokyo Institute of Technology, which intend to lead to a breakthrough in the areas of genome editing and plant physiology.

The company considers a renewable liquid fuel as 'essential to drastic carbon dioxide reduction' and 'critical' to achieving the carbon-neutrality of cars powered by the internal combustion engine.

According to scientists, when burnt, algae biofuel only releases carbon dioxide emissions recently removed from the atmosphere via photosynthesis.

As part of its 'Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030' long-term development programme, the automaker is committed to reducing its average carbon dioxide emissions by 50% by the next decade and by 90% by 2050.