Eco Tech: genetically engineered bacterium guide us closer to cellulosic ethanol

Eco factor: Enables us to produce biofuel that is both cheap and does not rely on food crops.

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Producing biofuel from food crops has given way to a major argument about how wise it is to try and produce fuel from food crops when we are struggling to feed hungry mouths. There is no doubt that the question raised needs to be addressed in a hurry. But the problem remains that scientific progress does not happen at the pace we want it to. Despite that, researchers at Dartmouth's Thayer School of Engineering and Mascoma Corporation have found a step toward cheap and sustainable biofuel that does not depend on food crops.

Cellulosic Ethanol is produced out of materials that are often discarded as waste. This includes wood, grass and various waste materials that could be transformed into biofuel. The problem with this process is that current cellulose enzymes that trigger and help the process of conversion are just way too expensive. This makes the biofuel non-competitive in the market in terms of its price compared with fossil fuel energy sources. But the new thermophilic bacterium is designed genetically, triggering the process of conversion without additional heat and is a cheaper alternative. The process also appears to be carbon neutral.

The Dark Side:

While it would be great to have this technology as soon as possible, the research team themselves say that this is only the first step toward producing cheap biofuel from materials other than food crops. The technology has a long way to go and many more eco-hurdles to clear before being commercially available.

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Via: ScienceDaily