The Green Optimistic

By Ovidiu on November 6th, 2008

Although solar powered devices and solar cells emerge like mushrooms, we still need an immediate solution to power our old cars, until old fuels are completely replaced.

Gliocladium Roseum is a fungus from the Patagonian rainforest, that also grows on wine grapes. It cannot be burned directly, but it seems to produce diesel fuel (or at least molecules found in diesel), out of cellulose.

Montana State University made an experiment that concluded that these species of fungi can grow on cellulose and produce hydrocarbon and derivatives that look much like diesel. This fungus is like a diesel converting plant, that’s why the fuel it produces has been named “myco-diesel”.

“We were very excited to discover that G. roseum can digest cellulose. Although the fungus makes less myco-diesel when it feeds on cellulose compared to sugars, new developments in fermentation technology and genetic manipulation could help improve the yield,” said Professor Gary Strobel from Montana State University. “In fact, the genes of the fungus are just as useful as the fungus itself in the development of new biofuels.”

Finding newer methods for reaching to biodiesel must not interfere with people’s way of living, and it must in any circumstance not make food more expensive. Additionally, it must not be an excuse for stopping or slowing the true clean and alternative energy research.