This could put the biofuel train on the tracks

Microbes produce fuel directly from biomass



This version of Esterichia coli converts biomass (that's leftover vegetation, grass, corn stalks, etc. -- including food leftovers, one of my pet peeves, I'd imagine) directly into diesel fuel.

"Engineering E. coli to produce hemicellulases enables the microbes to produce fuels directly from the biomass of plants that are not used as food for humans or feed for animals," Steen says. "Currently, biochemical processing of cellulosic biomass requires costly enzymes for sugar liberation. By giving the E. coli the capacity to ferment both cellulose and hemicellulose without the addition of expensive enzymes, we can improve the economics of cellulosic biofuels."

But it's not going to happen next year:

"Productivity, titer and efficient conversion of feedstock into fuel are the three most important factors for engineering microbes that can produce biofuels on an industrial scale," Steen says. "There is still much more research to do before this process becomes commercially feasible."

Still, this amounts to very, very good news for the transportation industry. Combine hybrid vehicles with nuclear power (to charge the batteries) with biofuels to keep them running on the road, and this would make a SERIOUS cut in the fossil fuel needs of cars and trucks and even boats.