Earlier, we mentioned technology that used microbes to convert biological junk like wood chips into an oil-like substance that was both non-polluting and usable in today's gas tanks.

Today we talk about invasive species like Kudzu, that grow like crazy and choke up native plants, and how they can be used as fuels.

Put this all together and tomorrow's fuels of the future look pretty exciting.

Now if we can just get through the present ...

Filed under: biofuels and kutzu

We covered this about a week ago, but this article has more detail on how environmentally friendly biofuels from genetically engineered bacteria will work.

"By swapping natural genes in yeast and bacteria for synthetic ones, scientists have tricked the microbes into producing hydrocarbons—creating, in essence, billions of tiny refineries to turn simple sugars into environmentally friendly diesel, gasoline, jet fuel and biocrude."

This looks like an exciting breakthrough - fuel that works just like gas or diesel in a car, but is non-polluting and based on renewable resources.

We do live in interesting times and sometimes, unlike the Chinese proverb, that's GOOD news.

Filed under: biofuels, diesel, energy, and generic engineering

We're all worried about gas prices, which seem to hit new highs every day. Scientists have discovered how to synthesize fuel using waste biological materials, like grass and wood chips, into usable oil and gas.

It turns out that many biological raw materials are just a few steps away from oil, and the digestive system of microbes can be genetically engineered to turn them into oil.

The biologically generated fuel consumes greenhouse gases, so unlike regular fuels the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere will actually go down.

The images to the left shows some of the lab equipment used to do the conversion on a small-scale, experimental basis.

The cost: About $50 per barrel, or less than half today's prices.

In short, our cars may no longer excrete greenhouse gases in the future, and the fuel on which they run will be much cheaper. So maybe the SUV has a chance for a comeback.

Filed under: oil, biofuels, and bacteria