Science Forums 2

[Michaelangelica]

Genomics Of Plant-based Biofuels

Science News
Share Blog Cite
Print Email Bookmark
Genomics Of Plant-based Biofuels

ScienceDaily (Aug. 14, 2008) — Genomics is accelerating improvements for converting plant biomass into biofuel—as
The Nature Review goes on to list the feedstock genomes, microbial "biomass degraders," and "fuel producers" completed or in progress.
These include the first tree genome completed—that of the poplar Populus trichocarpa and other plants in the sequencing queue, such as soybean, switchgrass, sorghum, eucalyptus, cassava, and foxtail millet. In addition, Rubin points to oil-producing algae as an alternative source for biodiesel production—with the alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, as just one of several algal species that has been characterized for their ability to efficiently capture and convert sunlight into energy.

"Given the daunting magnitude of fossil fuel used for transportation, we will likely have to draw from several different sources to make an appreciable impact with cellulosic biofuels, all of which will in some significant way will be informed by genomics," says Rubin.

"Toward this end, rapid new sequencing methods and the large-scale genomics previously applied to sequencing the human genome are being exploited by bioenergy researchers to design next-generation biofuels, higher-chain alcohols and alkanes, with higher energy content than petroleum and more adaptable to existing infrastructure."

Algae from fish shit

Energy from

Listen Now - 16082008 |Download Audio - 16082008

In tropical North Queensland scientists are using an innovative method to produce bio diesel by feeding marine micro algae with the fish excretions.
The algae use fish farm slurry as nutrients to produce oil.
In fact, no other crop produces as much bio diesel as micro algae.
Beside their oil production the micro algae also produce carbohydrates and proteins that could be used as stock feed.

Science Show - 16August2008 - Energy from excrements
I wonder if this could be done in a small village scale or backyard?