The Green Optimistic

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Scientists from the University of Sheffield, UK have demonstrated that some bacteria named Nostoc could be used to power our future hydrogen cars. Their research was published in the journal Bioinformatics, and it could have powerful green consequences for the environment.

A team of chinese researchers discovered a way to a new biofuel. Their new study, scheduled for the July 16 issue of ACS’ bimonthly journal Energy & Fuels, describes a way to boost production of biofuel from rice straw by almost 65 percent.

Some Washington University engineers using an advanced imaging technology found out that vigorous mixing helps microorganisms turn farm waste into a source of alternative energy.
Hog and cow manure is a persistent pollutant from very large, industrial-sized barns and feed lots, but can become a very useful resource of methane when broken down by bacteria.

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Recently, a team of biologists demonstrated that some algae, named Chlamydomonas reinhardtii can produce hydrogen in a specific environment. Normally, these bacterias produce oxygen, but the scientists modified their genes, added copper to block the oxygen production, so the cells’ photosynthesis begins to synthesize hydrogenase and produces hydrogen. The algae also need light in order [...]

A scientist who mapped his genome and the genetic diversity of the oceans said Thursday he is creating a life form that feeds on climate-ruining carbon dioxide to produce fuel.
Craig Venter (in the picture), a famous geneticist, announced his “fourth-generation fuel” project at an elite Technology, Entertainment and Design conference in Monterey, California. Between the [...]

Canadian and English researchers succeeded demonstrating in 2007 that certain bacteria could fasten the process of making methane gas out of residual oil. In the technology currently used, only 17% of the oil extracted can be used for producing useful fuel, says an article from the Nature magazine.
The microbes that the scientists used existed underground [...]

“When bacteria are placed in the anode chamber of a specially-designed fuel cell that is free of oxygen, they attach to an electrode. Because they do not have oxygen, they must transfer the electrons that they obtain from consumption (oxidation) of their food somewhere else than to oxygen — they transfer them to the electrode. [...]