Biofuels versus Fossil Fuels (Biotechnology and Society 2016)
From SynBioCyc
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Everyone: Algal biofuels
Required Reading/Viewing
- ExxonMobil Bets $600 Million on Algae Kate Howell Scientific American July 14, 2009.
- Exxon Takes Algae Fuel Back to the Drawing Board Kevin Bullis MIT Technology Review May 20, 2013.
- Is There Still a Role for Oil Companies in Renewables? Matthew Morton Greentech Media March 12, 2015
- Can we save the algae biofuel industry? The Conversation May 9, 2015
Watch the 3-minute ALGAE.TEC video embedded in the page. - Jet Fuel from Algae? Nanowerk Jan 29, 2015
Be sure to zoom in on the infographic by clicking on it. - Company/industry group webpages useful for answering questions: Solazyme | ALGAE.TEC | All about algae.com |
Sapphire Energy
Additional information
- DOE Algal Biofuels including ENERGY 101: ALGAE-TO-FUEL video
- UTEX Culture Collection of Algae at UT Austin
- Radakovits R, Jinkerson RE, Darzins A, Posewitz MC (2010) Genetic engineering of algae for enhanced biofuel production. Eukaryot Cell 9:486–501.
- Scott SA et al. (2010) Biodiesel from algae: Challenges and prospects. Curr Opin Biotechnol 21:277–286.
- Energy from floating algae ponds Jonathan Trent TEDGlobal Talk June 2012.
This is a more speculative vision of algal biofuels.
1. Cellulosic Ethanol
Extra Links for the Policy Czar
- Sims REH, Mabee W, Saddler JN, Taylor M (2010) An overview of second generation biofuel technologies Bioresour Technol 101:1570–1580.
Review of technology and issues related to cellulosic ethanol. Skim the article for key details. - DOE Cellulosic Ethanol – read this page and click around the other ethanol links
- For Cellulosic Ethanol Makers, The Road Ahead Is Still Uphill Erica Gies Yale Environment 360 Nov 3, 2014.
- Bioenergy at DOE.
Especially, check out the From Biomass to Cellulosic Ethanol Placemat - Dupont Cellulosic Ethanol
Watch the "From Feedstock to Fuel" video linked on the right side of the page.
2. Deep Water Horizon Bioremediation
Extra Links for the Policy Czar
- Slick Solution: How Microbes Will Clean Up the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill David Biello Scientific American May 25, 2010.
- How Microbes Helped Clean BP's Oil Spill David Biello Scientific American April 28, 2015
Watch the embedded video and slide show. - Microbial Response to Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill MicrobeWiki
Concentrate on the section on what it takes for bioremediation. Page also provides further references.
3. Frackibacter
Extra Links for the Policy Czar
- New genus of bacteria found living inside hydraulic fracturing wells Pam Frost Gorder Ohio State Press Release Sept 5, 2016.
- Daly RA et al. (2016) Microbial metabolisms in a 2.5-km-deep ecosystem created by hydraulic fracturing in shales Nat Microbiol 1:16146.