Ethanol

[Bob Wallace]

11. Might be...

I wonder what makes more sense when it comes to biofuel. Is it ethanol or a gas- or diesel-like fuel?


"Researchers with the US Department of Energy (DOE)’s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) have engineered the first strains of Escherichia coli bacteria that can utilize both the cellulose and hemicellulose fractions of switchgrass pre-treated with ionic liquids to produce gasoline, diesel and jet fuel substitutes or precursors without any assistance from enzyme additives.

While this is not the first demonstration of E. coli producing fuel molecules from sugars, it is the first demonstration of E. coli producing molecules suited for all three major forms of transportation fuels. Furthermore, it was done using switchgrass, which is among the most highly touted of the potential feedstocks for advanced biofuels."

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2011/11/jbei-20111129.html

I suspect we're going to see biofuels on the market at a price competing with oil based products in the next few years. The form it takes, ethanol or more diesel-like, from plants or algae, I don't know. But I'm pretty convinced that we need to be aiming to use electricity for most of our personal transportation.