Frogs, foam and fuel: Solar energy converted to sugars

ScienceDaily (2010-03-17) -- In natural photosynthesis, plants take in solar energy and carbon dioxide and then convert it to oxygen and sugars. The oxygen is released to the air and the sugars are dispersed throughout the plant -- like that sweet corn we look for in the summer. Unfortunately, the allocation of light energy into products we use is not as efficient as we would like. Now engineering researchers are doing something about that.

ASU's solution for the world's looming energy crisis, bacteria

• Bacteria normally make energy-rich fatty acids (Oil) for their own use.
• Specialized microbes called cyanobacteria use photosynthesis to convert sunlight into energy, just like plants.
• Researchers at The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University (who said ASU was just a party school?) found a way to utilize this process as a source of renewable energy.
• How'd they do it? Genetic modifications permitting the bacteria to significantly increase their lipid (stored energy) production and secretion (so we can collect & use them) without dying in the process.
• Big-time pros:
• Oil produced and processed in 1 step.
• Only energy input required is sunlight.
• No need to use/maintain cropland (e.g. for plant-based sources)
• Questions I have:
• How much processing after collecting the bacterial oil would be needed in order to use it?
• What other resources are needed for the bacteria to survive & how much do they cost?
• Cost-effective for large-scale energy production?

Microbes ooze oil for renewable energy from Biodesign Institute on Vimeo.


http://www.biodesign.asu.edu/news/microbes-reprogrammed-to-ooze-oil-for-renewable-biofuel

Top off the gas tank with some algae

• DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) has been able to extract oil from algal ponds at $2 per gallon and says they will soon be able to implement large-scale refinement of that oil into jet fuel for less than $3 per gallon.

• This project stemmed from the US military being the nation's single largest energy consumer at 60-75 million barrels of oil per year.
• Pros to algae-based fuel:
• Algal farms don't threaten food supplies (unlike corn-based ethanol).
• Algal strains can be grown on household waste or other unsanitary water supplies.
• Algae absorbs CO2 during its growth (theoretically making the fuel carbon-neutral before procession & transport).
• It's amazing how research to reduce military costs could end up being America's saving grace for an affordable renewable energy source.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/feb/13/algae-solve-pentagon-fuel-problem