Stuart Johnson, manager of Volkswagen’s engineering and environmental division, is responsible for numerous environmental issues and regulatory affairs such as energy policy, fuel economy, fuel quality, alternative fuels, vehicle and engine emission testing, vehicle and engine emission regulations, advanced drive technology, air toxics, health effects, recycling and substances of concern.
He previously has been responsible for various VW powertrain development projects related to alternative fuels, engine and engine component design and development, and vehicle, engine and component testing.
Prior to his career at Volkswagen, which began 25 years ago, Johnson worked in the field of combustion engine research and testing. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan. A lifelong member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Johnson has published SAE papers related to fuel efficiency.
Cellulosic ethanol is viewed in some circles as a better fuel than corn-based ethanol because it relies on agricultural products other than corn. (Food riots broke out when the price of corn rose; people were hacking down the rain forest to plant corn, etc.) What is the status of VW’s involvement with cellulosic ethanol, globally and in the U.S.?
The VW Group strongly supports second generation biofuels and as such we support the development of cellulosic ethanol. Our research department has worked on cellulosic ethanol for several years and we have partnered with companies to continue these efforts. Fuel derived from waste products, as cellulosic ethanol is, is a better long-term solution than using food crops for fuel.
Do you think heightened use of cellulosic ethanol can have a positive impact on America’s rural communities in the form of increased planting opportunities for farmers?
Yes. We believe plants used for fuel can be different than food crops and can actually help with soil health through crop rotation and can provide increased opportunities for farmers.
How well does cellulosic ethanol perform in VW engines compared to other fuels?
Ethanol is ethanol, and it has the same chemical formula regardless of the feedstock, so cellulosic ethanol will perform as well as any other bio-derived ethanol product. In current vehicles sold in the U.S., we believe E10 or 10 percent ethanol blended with gasoline is appropriate. Vehicles designed to operate on higher levels of ethanol such as E85 vehicles or E22 vehicles in Brazil will have no problems with cellulosic ethanol at those respective blend levels.
How do you rate the chances of cellulosic ethanol becoming a more widely accepted fuel?
We believe chances are good that ethanol and cellulosic ethanol will become a more widely accepted fuel, especially in light of global energy issues.
What are some of the infrastructural challenges that must be met to drive heightened cellulosic ethanol use?
The capacity of a given cellulosic ethanol production facility must be sized and located correctly to minimize transportation costs related to both the feedstock and the finished product.
What is the regulatory climate in Washington, D.C. related to cellulosic ethanol?
We perceive strong political will to reduce dependence on foreign petroleum. Biofuels, especially cellulosic ethanol, are seen as a big part of the solution.
What are some of the cultural/political challenges, if any, that need to be addressed to get cellulosic ethanol into wider global or U.S. use?
We don’t perceive a cultural challenge. Ethanol is a liquid fuel that is dispensed just like gasoline. Admittedly the energy density is not as great as gasoline, so for a given tank size the driving range is reduced. Politically it must be decided what is the appropriate blend level and the appropriate pathway towards achieving this.
Conventional ethanol has been criticized in some circles because it eats through rubber engine components when it is pumped into a car not designed to run on it (as some consumers will do), and it must be hauled by truck rather that shipped via existing petroleum pipelines. Does cellulosic ethanol overcome this, or do these issues remain to be addressed?
Tthe feedstock does not impact the final ethanol product -- unlike biodiesel fuels -- so the same issues remain with cellulosic ethanol as for corn ethanol. It should not be used in a vehicle that was not designed to use it. Higher levels -- above 10 percent -- are not a problem in FFVs (flexible fuel vehicles) or in vehicles designed for this fuel, so rubber products designed with higher blends in mind are not a problem. If a future national level is determined, then issues with the pipeline should be resolved.
What are some of the VW vehicles that run on cellulosic ethanol? Are there plans to introduce other models or pursue this technology further?
All vehicles sold in the U.S. are designed to operate on 10 percent ethanol. This can be cellulosic, corn-based, sugar-based, etc. Globally we sell vehicles that can operate on higher blends of ethanol, such as E22 and E90 in Brazil and E85 in Sweden. We continue to analyze the FFV (flexible fuel vehicle) or E85 market in North America, but we believe the E85 infrastructure would have to grow significantly before the VW Group would consider an FFV vehicle in North America.
