Energy

Using bugs to wean the world off fossil fuel

The problem with breaking down waste plant matter into sugars that can then be fermented into bioethanol is that plant matter is complex and difficult to process. Finding the enzymes that speed up this breakdown is the first step to economically viable processes.

Microbial fuel cell use in bioremediation and harvesting of energy from waste

Microbial fuell cells generate bioelectricity while “cleaning up” waste – effectively using the organic waste they break down as a source of electrons. This handily solves the two problems of removing pollution and generating energy at the same time.

Ethanol from sweet sorghum does not compromise food security

As fears regarding the use of food crops for alternative fuel production on food security for the poor, particularly in Africa, prevail, scientists say that sweet sorghum provides a solution. The pioneering project to produce ethanol from sweet sorghum, being implemented jointly by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and Rusni Distilleries, has achieved a significant milestone with the first batch of ethanol flowing out of the distillery at Mohammed Shapur village in Andhra Pradesh, India. Dr William Dar, Director General of ICRISAT, and Mr A R...

Delft breakthrough in bioethanol production from agricultural waste

With the introduction of a single bacterial gene into yeast, researchers from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands achieved three improvements in bioethanol production from agricultural waste material: 'More ethanol, less acetate and elimination of the major by-product glycerol' and was published recently in the scientific journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

Biofuels – to make them relevant, we need to learn from a partially pink elephant

By Dr Garth Cambray Pink Elephants are often associated with consumption of ethanol. Here a partially pink, biomass powered elephant crosses a highway in India. In many ways India, like the rest of the world, has reached an energy crossroad, where the biomass economy, which powers the elephant, and the fossil fuel economy which powers the cars on the highway will need to be kept in tune with each other for continued economic growth. Pic by J. Limson The current global recession is caused partially by a dearth of common sense, and partially by the fact that from an energy planning perspective...

Using bugs to wean the world off fossil fuel	Microbial fuel cell use in bioremediation and harvesting of energy from waste
Ethanol from sweet sorghum does not compromise food security	Delft breakthrough in bioethanol production from agricultural waste
Biofuels – to make them relevant, we need to learn from a partially pink elephant	Biofuel: South Africa gearing up for a Biobased Economy
Biofuels boom risks increasing landlessness among world's poor	Biofuels: The Debate Continues
Algal biodiesel - a worthy successor of fossil fuels?	Malawi Government pushes green vehicles
Biodiesel: When winter clogs your fuel filter	Biofuels research strengthened at SA universities
Racing ahead with biodiesel	Obstacles on the road to sustainable biofuels

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