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.

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.

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.

The badge of Megacity will be a sub-brand of BMW. There were also speculations that the carmaker planned to use the Isetta name which was all about their mini cars during the 1950’s.

The details about the Megacity Vehicle is very limited since it is still in the development phase. No one can really tell how small it will be but the company hinted that it will be smaller than the current model of the Honda Fit and will take a form of a 3-door hatchback. The car will be made full or partly of carbon fiber to keep its weight down.

BMW is also collaborating with SB-Limotive for the batteries that will power the 125 kW or 170 hp electric motor.

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.

In the 7-Series, the combined output of the electric motor and the gasoline engine is 455 horsepower with a good torque at 516 lb-ft. The bigger ActiveHybrid-7 can zoom from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds but still it offers a 15% better fuel economy than the powerful 750i.

The announcement of the ActiveHybrid-5 release this March confirms that earlier disclosure of plans of the carmaker. The carmaker sees the potential of the 3-,5-, and 7-Series to become mild hybrids. This opens the possibility of an ActiveHybrid-3 any time soon.

It is not yet clear if the ActiveHybrid-5 will be released along side the 2011 5-Series due for roll out in the US by fall or if it will be marketed as a 2012 model.

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.

Cardboards and Jeans

The Buick makes use of recycled cardboard as ceiling panels to improve the acoustics of the car. GM also shreds old jeans as stuffings to dampen the sound of your ride. Old carpets are used as brackets for door handles.

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.

The Toyota Surfrider Camry at the 2009 SEMA was pimped with a blue and green theme made cool by aggressive body kit. The ride is lowered through the installed adjustable suspension making it hug the road while rolling on its 20 inch alloy rims. You can also see the CNG cylinder setup through a viewing window cut out from the trunk.

The Camry Hybrid makes use of a 2.4L engine configured to work with the Hybrid Synergy Drive.

There are about 10 million vehicles roaming on the streets around the globe. Only 142,000 of these units are in the United States. The switch to natural gas will decrease the dependency of the U.S. on foreign-sourced oil.

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.

Last July, Suzuki disclosed that they will be selling gas versions of the Kisashi to their U.S. market by winter. They did not give a specific date though for the release of the Kizashi hybrid, hoping to compete with hybrids that are already market leaders by car makers Toyota and Honda.

The Japanese car maker was able to sell about 26,000 vehicles in the United States from January to July this year. This is a 60% drop compared to their sales figures last year. Suzuki is hoping that their new Kizashi models will spark renewed interest with their line of products.

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.

For those who will be impressed and wants to be behind the wheels of the Fisker Karma Super Saloon, the waiting list for the car is a bit lengthy. The production of the $87,500 Fisker Karma is already sold out until the mid of 2010.

The engines of the Fisker Karma have a combo power of 408hp and a torque of 959lb-ft. These figures are enough to bring the car from 0 to 60 mph in a blink of 5.8 seconds.

The Fisker Karma has a top speed of 95 mph in its stealth mode or the car running in pure electric power. When the combustion engine of the Karma fires up on a sport mode, it can go as fast as 125mph. There is also a third mode which operates like a strong hybrid.

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.

Looking at some figures, the 2009 model of the Volswagen Jetta TDI may take out an extra $2070 from the buyer’s pocket but the owner will save about $6,210 in a 5-year stretch compared to the regular Jetta. In the same way, a Prius will demand $1,805 more to purchase than a Camry but after half a decade, the Prius saves the owner about $4,930. The Toyota Hybrid is still a good choice!

The study just emphatically says that hybrids and clean diesel powertrains will really be a game changer for the future of the auto industry.

That’s proof right there — Elle Macpherson and her Fiat 500c! Cheers, Elle!