biotech firm with patent promising liquid fuels from solar energy

[dogboy]

This seems notable...

paraphased...

The company, Joule Unlimited, was granted a patent in Sept. for their first in a series of microscopic organisms -- genetically altered versions of the E. coli bacteria -- that use sunlight and water in a process similar to photosynthesis to convert captured CO2 into usable crude oil.

They called it "Liquid Fuel From The Sun," which uses their "proprietary organism" to devour waste and defecate custom hydrocarbons.

It was apparently so promising that John Podesta -- the current president of the Center for American Progress who served as President Bill Clinton's former chief of staff and helped oversee President Obama's transition into power -- has joined Joule's board of directors.

"I have seen and heard many proposals by renewable energy companies, and can unequivocally say that Joule has a technology and a system unlike any other, with industrial viability and a clear path to market within the next several years," Podesta said

"Unlike biofuel processes that require costly intermediates such as sugar, algal or agricultural biomass, Joule is the first to achieve and patent a direct, single-step, continuous process for the production of hydrocarbon fuels requiring no raw material feedstocks – setting the stage for fossil fuel replacement at unprecedented efficiencies and costs as low as $30 per barrel equivalent," the company said in a media advisory.

Their first modified E. coli bacteria, which produced diesel fuel, allegedly outputs more energy than it takes in. This would ultimately lead to "unlimited supplies of ethanol and hydrocarbons without the high production costs or environmental consequences," according to Bill Sims, Joule's president and CEO.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/01/biotech-firm-promising-liquid-fuels-solar-energy-lands-podesta-board-directors/

[4Eyes]

wow - that does look interesting

.... genetically engineered e-coli bacteria though ?
Perhaps the food poisoning would be more tolerable if you ended up with enough 'biological diesel' to run the car for a week

[dogboy]

It's just rare to hear things like a clear path to market and $30/ barrel. 

[Travoli]

I was excited until I read:
"...allegedly outputs more energy than it takes in."
Which set off the BS Detector. 

They probably don't count the energy of the sun? 
Anyway, the sooner we have these fuels, the better.

[dogboy]

Yeah me too, initially but then I realized it was just bad writing.  That was just a screwy way to say what you Just said.

[Brad]

I thought the US military was mucking about with fuel from algae?  Did that pan out?

[dogboy]

Yeah I think so. That has been some time in coming but I'm hearing more and more about it.

[Rupert]

There was a biochemist from the US about a year ago, claiming he would find a bacteria that could turn CO2 into fuel.  I wonder if it is the same chap.

I will never remember the name ...Chris someone...   anyway, he was very flamboyant and over confident I felt. 

If it is him, I take back the "over confident" bit!   


The idea of plugging it into the back end of a power station is fantastic.

We could have macro versions on cars... 

One of the key bit I think I remember was that the Bacteria was simple, and was replaced regularly to stop mutation, as it would be less efficient.

[Rupert]

Got him: Craig Venter

http://www.newsweek.com/2008/06/07/a-bug-to-save-the-planet.html
Recently he claims to have created synthetic life, as a step to replacing Petrol.

So different. I think these Guys are streets ahead

[Rooftop]

I remember seeing a demo of something similar a couple of decades back on "tomorrows world".  Bacteria + sunlight used to turn piss&shit in to a fuel substance that looked like green dust.  I'm pretty sure that it was described as being really viable at the time, yet seemed to disappear without any further mention.

[Brad]

>seemed to disappear without any further mention.

That is just it, we hear about stuff all the time and then it just fizzles and you never hear of it again.

1. Some sort of coating on car radiators that would clean the air as we drive.

2. Fuel cells.

3. Solar houses

4. Glow in the dark prophylactics (okay we got those)

5. Fuel from trash

6. Fuel from algae

7. Hydrofoils and hovercraft

8. Solar waste water purification

[eurotrash]

>seemed to disappear without any further mention.



8. Solar waste water purification

Think this one is a go-er....  http://www.solarwaterenergy.net/

Now where are these flashing johnnies?

[Rupert]

Fuel Sells.  A friend of mine still working on those at Rolls Royce.

They are a goer... just not quite yet

[Rooftop]

7. Hydrofoils & Hovercraft

Got those too. Although I think that the hydrofoils got replaced more by hybrid catarmarans. I do remember putting a small, slow sailing boat in front of one as a teenager though.  They're pretty fast those things.

Hovercraft are still reasonably common though.  There are certainly regular passenger routes with small hovercraft and they are also used by rescue services and the military.  The big, car carrying ones are probably a thing of the past though. 

[Brad]

>common

Okay fair enough Rooftop.  I was thinking more consumer oriented, but you are right the US Marines make extensive use of hovercraft.  I did see the guys on Top Gear horsing around on small personal hovercraft a few seasons ago, that looked fun.  Still nobody hops in one and commutes to work every morning.