Pickles Picked for Azo Dye Pollution Solution
Move over, Peter Piper, because a new pickle-picker has picked up on the potential for pickles to provide a solution to the pollution problem posed by azo dyes from industrial wastewater.
Biofuels
World Bank Finds Biofuel Targets are Fueling “Land Grabs”
Biofuel crops need space to grow, and space is expensive… in rich countries. In poor, developing countries, not so much. The World Bank is the latest body to find that biofuel targets in rich, developed countries and emerging economies are resulting in what some refer to as “post-colonial land grabs” — … [continued]
“Frankenstein’s Yeast” Could Spur Biofuel Breakthrough
Researchers at the University of California have cobbled genes from a common fungus together with yeast, to create a powerful new critter that can chew its way through wood and other tough plants. The development is significant because it could lead to a cost effective means of producing biofuel without … [continued]
Siemens Launches Renewable Energy Business in India
Siemens has launched its renewable energy business arm in India to get a sizable share in one of the fastest growing markets in the world. The German engineering giant has opened its business in India at just the right time given the abundant economic and policy incentives offered by the government to the … [continued]
Siloxanes Complicate Biogas Picture, But Solutions are at Hand
Perhaps you’ve heard of siloxanes — those ubiquitous chemicals found in hair care products, make-up, deodorant, food additives, soaps, textiles, lubricants, paints – oh heck, the list goes on and on. The problem is, siloxanes end up in biogas recovered from landfills, industrial operations and sewage treatment plants. If not … [continued]
A Man's Home is His Renewable Energy Castle, Thanks to New Fuel Cells
A new fuel cell being developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is set to take households a giant step closer to energy independence. MIT researchers envision an integrated system consisting of a solar installation and a fuel cell. During the day, the solar array produces electricity to power the … [continued]
Killer Bacteria Could Breathe New Life into Biofuel Production
Put this one in the category of every cloud has a silver lining: E. coli, the bacteria notorious for contaminating food products from lettuce to ground beef, could also play a key role in developing the next generation of biofuels. A team of scientists from Rutgers University is working with … [continued]
Soda Could Add a Green Energy Pop to Laptops
Scientists from Saint Louis University in Missouri are reporting the development of a new class of biobased fuel cells, which could replace disposable batteries and their toxic components. The new biofuel cells could be used to power small electronic devices such as laptops and cell phones, and could be charged … [continued]
Your Car Would Have to Get 70 MPG to Be as Clean as an Electric…
Are electric cars less catastrophic for our future climate than gasoline cars? Well, duh. But, here’s another study carefully poring over the evidence and showing it to be the case. At least for Europe. [social_buttons] A team of Empa scientists made a detailed life cycle assessment of the current state … [continued]
Newly Discovered Chlorophyll Scavenger Could Lead to Cheaper Biofuels
A team of scientists from Australia and Germany has discovered what could be a new, previously unknown form of chlorophyll. As we all know chlorophyll is the green-pigmented substance that plants and certain forms of bacteria use to convert sunlight into energy. This new form appears to be a kind … [continued]
