Known for their beans that start the world’s day, Brazilian coffee growers might soon be known for brewing the fuel that starts your car.

According to this story in the Wall Street Journal’s on-line version, tests are being done to see if the beans not suitable for your cup will be good for your tank:

The studies, which are being conducted at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, suggest that making both biodiesel and ethanol via coffee residues is technically and economically viable, at least for small-scale use within the country’s coffee cooperatives, said Leandro Soares de Oliveira, a professor of chemical engineering at the university, in an interview.

“We began working with the idea of extracting oils from coffee beans that weren’t of good quality,” he said. “We were looking at alternative uses for these beans for producers, instead of just having them thrown into the domestic coffee supplies and depressing its quality.”

Officials believe not only does this provide another source for biodiesel, it takes bad beans out of the system… raising the overall quality level of the coffee.

They’re also looking at using the coffee bean husks to make ethanol.