Prince Charles Turns to Wine for Vehicle Power

Britain’s Prince Charles has in the past converted his cars to run on 100 percent biodiesel fuel made from used cooking oil, but his office revealed July 1 that he converted his 38-year-old Aston Martin to run on biofuel made from surplus wine.

Prince Charles’ uses biodiesel made from cooking oil for several of his vehicles, including several Jaguars, an Audi and a Range Rover.

But the prince converted the Astin Martin, which he received way back on his 21st birthday as a present from Queen Elizabeth, to 100-percent bioethanol as a way to reduce his carbon emissions. The wine used for the bioethanol comes from current vintage that remains after English wine producers reach the EU limit for annual wine production, a spokesman for Green Fuels said.

The prince’s 2008 Annual Review, which details his income and activities over the past year, says Charles and his household reduced their carbon footprint by 18 percent last year after switching to green electricity supplies and reducing their travel-related emissions.

Charles is active in environmental charities, and his food company, Duchy Originals, uses ingredients produced at his organic farm in Cornwall, southwestern England.