A group of researchers in Berkeley, California produced an E. Coli strain that can break down and ferment alginate to produce ethanol. The Enschericia coli which was specifically designed to help in synthesizing ethanol directly from the macroalgae thru CBP or consolidated process and achieving roughly 80% of the possible maximum yield.

Seaweed as macroalgae is more commonly known has a number of properties which make it a suitable feedstock for chemicals and renewable fuels. It has a good amount of sugar in it, no need for fertilizer, fresh water or farmland. There will also be no issue about food versus fuel issue when you use the seaweed to make fuel.

The researchers also note that the seaweed does not contain lignin which allows simple operations like crushing or milling to release the sugars in them. About 60% of the biomass of seaweed is sugar with roughly 50% of that as alginate.

The scientists were able to come up with a process to metabolize the component alginate of the seaweed. Among the most significant discovery was the fragment of DNA from Vibrio splendidus, a bacterium, which has enzymes that help with alginate metabolism and transport. The proponents of the research capitalized on this property and use it to build a platform to degrade and eventually metabolize alginate.

The microbial platform is broken into shorter fragments using a lyase from the cells of the bacterirum. These fragments are then carried to the E.Coli using the properties of the fragment that came from mthe splendidus.. Other properties of the genes from splendidus help metabolize the alginate and help convert them to building blocks, this is the stage where Zymomonas mobilis step up to produce ethanol.

The research body from California was a receipient of a grant from the Department of Energy of the United States.

Experts involved with the Sustainable Energy or SusEn research program of the Academy of Finland are considering the possibilities of processing biogas and biobutanol to become alternative transport fuels.

The primary source of biobutanol will be the by-products of the paper industry, pulp, and food industry. Biogas on the other hand can be a good source of methane which has a great potential to be a fuel substitute.

Ulla Lassi who works as a professor in the University of Oulu is looking at the production process using microbiological techniques so raw materials can be turned into sugars first then fermented to become butanol. The project of Lassi also involves using chemical syntheis using catalyst materials to promote the conversion of methanol, ethanol, or glycerol into pentanol, butanol, and other alcohol mixes. The outcome of the microbiological and chemical processes are good as substitutes to liquid fuels. For example, glycerol, when used, is very cost effective since it is a biodiesel by-product.

There are several hindrances in the process of making butanol thru microbiological means. One big challenge is the raw material digestion to make it a fermentable form of sugars. The fermentation process is another issue since it is a very complicated process. Experts are already looking into solutions to address these challenges.

The biogas project is also looking into it as a good alternative transport fuel. With experts from Finland and Chile working together, they are looking into the process f making gas from landfill as fuel.

Methane from biogas is one alternative fuel option which has a good chain for sustainability. It also meets the standards set by the European Union as a sustainable biofuel.

Fiat’s newly designed 85 horsepower TwinAir two-cylinder engine makes it way under the hood of the Fiat 500 for its debut. The 2-cylinder engine was previewed during the Geneva motor show.

The 900 cc turbo 2-cylinder 85 horsepower gasoline-fueled engine makes use of small turbines which decreases transient response time while keeping the output excellent when combined with strategies for the management of the dedicated valves. The TwinAir powerplant also features a Start&Stop system.

Side by side a 1.2L 8V engine, the new Fiat engine is way ahead with 23% advantage on power and around 30% ahead in terms of performance index. The consumption of fuel is also more efficient by as much as 30%.

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BMW has two electric cars in its garage. The Mini E is on a test phase with about 600 units roaming around the streets of the U.S., U.K., and Europe. They also have the ActiveE Concept that took spotlight during the auto show in Detroit last month.

According to BMW top execs, the two cars are just the tip of the iceberg. The carmaker is looking forward to launch their all electric vehicle that is expected to go on full production by the first half of this decade. This new electric vehicle will solely depend on the power stored in a battery pack.

BMW codenamed the development as Project Megacity which was driven by the research that kicked off with their Project i back in 2008.

The Project Megacity will be an EV that uses designs that will be specific for use in congested city streets. According to insiders, the production of the 2014 model might begin by the second half of 2013. The car is set to be assembled in the BMW plant in Leipzig, Germany.

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The 2010 Geneva Motor Show this coming March will be the venue for BMW’s third hybrid car. The new model will be a mid-hybrid version of the recently unveiled 2011 BMW 5-Series set to hit the stores this June.

The ActiveHybrid 5 is expected to be inspired by the 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 which is its full size sports sedan on the hybrid luxury class. The 7-Series uses a 3-phase electric motor which is linked to the crankshaft of the car’s V-8 gasoline engine paired with new 8-speed automatic transmission.

The 5-Series will be a mild hybrid. This means that the car will not run relying on the electric engine alone like the 2010 BMW X6 ActiveHybrid. What it will do is utilize the electric motor to restart the gasoline engine after it turns off during stops. The electric motor will also add more torque to help the gasoline engine.

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What materials can you think of when you see a brand new 2010 car rolling off the dealership? I guess you will be saying expensive leather, steel, carbon fiber, or the plastics of the interior. What if we tell you that your new car is made from faded jeans, processed milk cartons, and old carpets?

It is true. Car manufacturers are becoming greener and they opt to use these recycled materials for cars taking shape in their factories. The reason is two-fold, using recycled materials for car components is a lot cheaper than making use of virgin plastics. Another good reason is to go with the flow going eco-friendly.

Old tires and Plastic Jugs

According to an association of recyclers, about 10% of the plastics coming from containers, detergent bottles, and milk jugs end up as automotive parts. Ford, for example, makes use of these plastics as liners for fenders and body shields. They also make use tires and battery encasements.

Yarn Waste and Soda Bottles

Car upholstery comes from recycled soda containers and yarn waste nowadays. The 2010 Taurus from Ford will have people sit comfortably on materials like these. The use of these recycled materials helped save about 30 million pounds of garbage being dumped into the landfill. Ford also saves about $5 million using these recycled materials. more…

If you have been following the moves of carmakers, Toyota rarely does anything if it doesn’t see any market value or if it will not serve to improve their image.

The Japanese car maker showcased a Camry running on CNG or compressed natural gas during the Los Angeles Auto Show back in 2008. Insiders told everyone that the unit is just a study.

The Camry CNG disappeared somehow until we saw it in the recent 2009 SEMA auto show redesigned as a savvy green buggy coined as the Camry CNG Hybrid. The recent version of the Camry couples the natural gas propulsion system with the Hybrid Synergy Drive technology.

Maybe the Japanese carmaker has more plans for the CNG than we expected with legislations in countries like the United States giving tax incentives for the consumers who will prefer natural-gas cars.

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A Japanese newspaper revealed in one of their issues that Suzuki might release a hybrid version of their 2011 Kizashi sedan. The Kizashi is expected to compete for sales with the likes of Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and the Ford Fusion, among other cars of the segment.

The first versions of the Kizashi will sport a four cylinder engine with 2.4L of displacement that will be coupled with a six-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable gearbox. Consumers will also have an all wheel driver option for the Kizashi.

The hybrid Kizashi being developed by Suzuki is done in close tie-up with General Motors. The American car maker has a long history working with the Japanese brand since they had a twenty percent stake with Suzuki back in the 1980s. These shares were sold last year when the recession forced a lot of businesses to do some maneuvering to stay afloat.

The hybrid version of the Kizashi is expected to have a 20% better fuel mileage compared to its internal combustion siblings.

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The production form of the Fisker Karma has only been seen by the public in photos and auto shows. The plug-in hybrid will be first seen in flesh and galloping around the track during its debut at the Monterey Historic Automobile Races during the Concours D’ Elegance at Pebble Beach California.

The Fisker Karma is set to take the spotlight mid-August. The car transformed to reality from the drawing boards only in a short span of 19 months. During its debut, Fisker will also be boasting about their new concept, the Karma Sunset which is a convertible hardtop. The Sunset was recently awarded the 2009 Production Preview Car of the Year by the SEAMO or the Southeast Automotive Media Organization.

The debut in Pebble Beach will have the Fisker Karma show what it has in its arsenal around the 11-turn course of Mazda Raceway. Fans and car enthusiast will witness the power of the 201 horsepower electric engines serving as the hearts of the plug-in hybrid.

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IntelliChoice.com which has been looking into how environmental issues reshape the auto industry recently released its annual study about environment-friendly cars. The survey concludes that a better and much superior value is being offered by diesel and hybrid vehicles to owners compared to that provided by standard vehicles.

The 2009 study put into in depth consideration the real value of 2009 hybrid models and clean-diesel powered vehicles. Ownership cause was based on factors like licensing fees, taxes, insurance, retained value, maintenance, and fuel over a 5-year period or about 70,000 miles.

The proponents of the study found out that among the 51 hybrid vehicles subjected to the survey, 35 of the models has lower cost of ownership compared to their gasoline variants. In the past years, the sticker price on green cars have been the turn off factor to consumers but the agency points out that fuel is not the only thing to consider.

The implementation of stricter CO2 emission guidelines in the future also gives spotlight to the vehicles that were put under the microscope. Most of the hybrid vehicles meet and even exceed the standards that nee to be met by 2016.

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