MOTOR SPIRIT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 188, 1 April 1932, Page 7

MOTOR SPIRIT

t BIG POSSIBILITIES FOR ENGLISH SYNTHETIC PETROL. MANUFACTURE FROM COAL. ' The world's position as regards motor jspirit is indeed a peculiar one. In America a deluge of oil.has resulted in pro-rationing, despite which erude oil is selling in U.S.A. at a price about a fourth of the cost of production. Theh Russia has vast supplies, for which she has practical- ' ly no domestic market, and is with a certain measure of success penetrating other national markets. In the meantime other nations are striving to produce synthetic petrol, to make themselves independent of the flood of oil that the earth is vomiting up in various parts of the world. England has long visualised produeing her own petrol needs by hydrogeneration of coal, but little progress has so far been made. A recent announcement hy one of the largest organisations of its kind in the world states that ;they have now succeeded in producing petrol of a quality equal to the highest grade spirit on the market, at 7d sa gallon. The stage has now heen reaehed that justihps the production of synthetic petrol in Britain on a big scale, and the company plans to erect a: huge plant, capahle of manufacturing over 200,000 tons of petrol per annum. The scheme will involve an outlay of about £8,000,000 and when the plant is in operation will give employment to 2000 men, and in addition 3000 miners will be needed to raise the coal. It is claimed that a satisfactory profit can be made on the undertaking, even at present ruling prices. Apropos of petrol distillation, it is interesting to record the result of some recent Frenoh experiments carried out in connection with the production of fuel alcohol from bananas. From one class of fruit 19 1 gallons of pure spirit was ohtained per ton of bananas, while from New Guinea bananas nearly 21£ gallons per- ton was obtained. Whether cultivation of bananas fbr production of alcohol alone could be made a payable proposition is a different matter.