CO2 to Fuel

[Face Plant]

Famed geneticist creating life form that turns CO2 to fuel

MONTEREY, California (AFP) - A scientist who mapped his genome and the genetic diversity of the oceans said Thursday he is creating a life form that feeds on climate-ruining carbon dioxide to produce fuel.

_________

"We think we will have fourth-generation fuels in about 18 months, with CO2 as the fuel stock."

Simple organisms can be genetically re-engineered to produce vaccines or octane-based fuels as waste, according to Venter.

Biofuel alternatives to oil are third-generation. The next step is life forms that feed on CO2 and give off fuel such as methane gas as waste, according to Venter.

"We have 20 million genes which I call the design components of the future," Venter said. "We are limited here only by our imagination."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080228/ts_afp/scienceusitgenetics_080228205717;_ylt=AnvmIGM.2JJR 0cfx8VPLMzys0NUE

Although it doesn't tell you what "simple organisms" he's talking about, it sounds like fuel from genetically engineered algae (http://blog.wired.com/cars/2007/02/algaebased_fuel.html)

[shade]

At the end of the article he says he wants to design people...

[kevinsmith]

I honestly expected this to be some kind of joke or something...I went to Yahoo to see if this story was really listed on their site or someone created a spoofed page. I was surprised to see it's real.
While this sounds like it has amazing potential...the funny thing is they are having a creature eat a greenhouse gas to create a...wait for it...green house gas. I'm sure he knows more than I, and that there' a reason for methane, but still.
I hope this could pan out.
Or they'll go nuts and choke us all under a noxious cloud of methane and we'll die a horrible, hot, stiffling death.

[camjoe87]

I was under the impression that methane was a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

[j.elohim]

I was under the impression that methane was a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

I think the plan would be to burn the CH4 to produce energy as we do now, and instead of having the CO2 as a useless byproduct of combustion it could be put back into the system with CO2 from the atmosphere and these organisms could make more natural gas for us to use as fuel. The main problems I can see with it is the initial difficulty of getting enough atmospheric CO2 to get the ball rolling, and then making sure the yield of methane is worth the effort in terms of the energy produced.

[drahkcorjc]

If this ends up working out, then it sounds awesome. I find it absolutely amazing that we've reached the point where we can create our own life-forms to benefit life on Earth.
I can't think of a specific reason, but I bet fundy-christians are having a fucking fit about how wrong this is.

what does this have to do with pianos?

Yeah, please - keep this shit in E/N. It's funny sometimes, but not in here where we like to have mildly serious discussions.

[rand0m]

You guys are so ... <insert a reference to lack of intelligence>

God already inventing these Carbon Dioxide fueled life forms when he created the earth ... they're called plants ...

[Burningnun]

Photosynthetic plants already do this... shame they are being cut down at such a high rate really.

[drahkcorjc]

Yeah but these organisms will be cutting out the middle man, and turning the CO3 directly into CH3, instead of O2.

[rand0m]

Yeah but these organisms will be cutting out the middle man, and turning the CO3 directly into CH3, instead of O2.

... bwahahahhah

[j.elohim]

... bwahahahhah

Now, now.

CJ it's CO2 and CH4, CO3 is carbonate/carbon trioxide and CH3 is a methyl group.

[Nocturnal]

MONTEREY, California (AFP) - A scientist who mapped his genome and the genetic diversity of the oceans said Thursday he is creating a life form that feeds on climate-ruining carbon dioxide to produce fuel.

I created some of those too. I call them "Plants". ;)


Oil producing algae might be very useful.

[chalupa]

You guys are so ... <insert a reference to lack of intelligence>

God already inventing these Carbon Dioxide fueled life forms when he created the earth ... they're called plants ...

Yeah, let's all wait for God to come up with a solution to our energy problems, too. That God, he's such a peach!



Now, randy, be nice to people. It isn't easy for humans to burn plant sugars as fuel given our dependence on the internal combustion engine. Creating a new type of plant that can convert c02 to methane, skipping the middleman, is a neat idea. If this works, the carbon cycle, vis a vis human impact, could effectively be locked in place.

We'd be using solar (I'm assuming) as an energy source to drive it, and all the sequestering of CO2 that is done by plants and the oceans could stabilize the levels in the atmosphere.

THEN, and this is the most important part, we could stop sending trillions of $$ to oppressive govts of borderline savages in the middle east.

[Burningnun]

Why methane though? It's easy to get ethanol from the sugar, and it's pretty easy to dehydrate the alcohol if you need something more volatile or even something that can be polymerised. Since you can't make polymers out of methane it seems like a poor man's alternative, especially compared to what we've already got.

[chalupa]

Why methane though? It's easy to get ethanol from the sugar, and it's pretty easy to dehydrate the alcohol if you need something more volatile or even something that can be polymerised. Since you can't make polymers out of methane it seems like a poor man's alternative, especially compared to what we've already got.

Well, it actually isn't easy enough. Right now more energy is used making alcohol from plant sugars than is stored in the alcohol. The whole process is an energy sink. They are working on getting it to the plus side, but it is not feasible on a large scale.

the only place where it is working right now is Brazil, and they are using sugarcane. The problem is that they're bulldozing rainforest to expand sugarcane production, and there is a net carbon release from that, not to mention the, you know, decimated rainforest.

A being that can convert CO2 directly to methane would cut out the net energy losses along the way.

I think this could be great.

[Burningnun]

I see your point. I wasn't really looking at the big picture/scale.

It could be great... but throughout my time on EBW (and before) there have been frequent stories about a new technology that could be great, but nothing ever comes of it.

[chalupa]

I see your point. I wasn't really looking at the big picture/scale.

It could be great... but throughout my time on EBW (and before) there have been frequent stories about a new technology that could be great, but nothing ever comes of it.

I know. That is the part that sucks.

This is random, but kinda apropos...I just read a news story today that said one guy in California is suing his neighbor to cut down the redwood trees on his property that are interfering with the first guy's solar panels.

How fucked up is that? Cut down redwoods because of the impact on someone else's solar panels.

[drahkcorjc]

Now, now.

CJ it's CO2 and CH4, CO3 is carbonate/carbon trioxide and CH3 is a methyl group.

lol yeah sorry. I meant CO2, which I'm pretty sure you guys knew. I will admit though that the "CH3" was a big mistake on my part. SORRY.

EDIT: I can't believe I embarrassed myself in front of random of all people.

[rand0m]

Now, randy, be nice to people. It isn't easy for humans to burn plant sugars as fuel given our dependence on the internal combustion engine. Creating a new type of plant that can convert c02 to methane, skipping the middleman, is a neat idea. If this works, the carbon cycle, vis a vis human impact, could effectively be locked in place.

We'd be using solar (I'm assuming) as an energy source to drive it, and all the sequestering of CO2 that is done by plants and the oceans could stabilize the levels in the atmosphere.

Urm what? Whats wrong with perfecting solar panels ... they are far more efficient, cheaper and require a fraction of the space oh ... and they don't have mood swings.

Genetically engineering bacteria to do what this guy wants to do is like sticking a propeller on a car and calling it a boat. It's a long winded expensive route that doesn't need researching in the first place.

THEN, and this is the most important part, we could stop sending trillions of $$ to oppressive govts of borderline savages in the middle east.

So will countless other technologys that are far more relevant, suited and underfunded.

Edit: Hey! Guess what? Photosynthasis (the process organic process of using light) is only 6.6% efficient after millions of years of evolution! ... compare that with the recent technology of solar cells with have an efficiency of around 40% and rising ... I know where I'm putting my money for solar energy ... you guys can put your money into this if you want ... if you have any left from investing in 'burning water!' ...

[chalupa]

Urm what? Whats wrong with perfecting solar panels ... they are far more efficient, cheaper and require a fraction of the space oh ... and they don't have mood swings.

Genetically engineering bacteria to do what this guy wants to do is like sticking a propeller on a car and calling it a boat. It's a long winded expensive route that doesn't need researching in the first place.



So will countless other technologys that are far more relevant, suited and underfunded.

Edit: Hey! Guess what? Photosynthasis (the process organic process of using light) is only 6.6% efficient after millions of years of evolution! ... compare that with the recent technology of solar cells with have an efficiency of around 40% and rising ... I know where I'm putting my money for solar energy ...

The newest solar panels are being made out of cadmium. Cadmium is a carcinogen. I'm guessing that somewhere along the way, mass production of solar panels is going to lead to environmental problems down the line. I wish it weren't that way, but it is.

Secondly, I was responding to your statement about plants.

Third, your comparison is arbitrary and not related to the subject. If he can genetically engineer a bacteria to do this, more power to him.

Lastly, what funding is this guy getting that precludes money from going to other techs?

[rand0m]

The newest solar panels are being made out of cadmium. Cadmium is a carcinogen. I'm guessing that somewhere along the way, mass production of solar panels is going to lead to environmental problems down the line. I wish it weren't that way, but it is.

Secondly, I was responding to your statement about plants.

Third, your comparison is arbitrary and not related to the subject. If he can genetically engineer a bacteria to do this, more power to him.

Lastly, what funding is this guy getting that precludes money from going to other techs?

Firstly, of course solar panels have obsticals to deal with, however they hold far more significane and purpose in the future where carbon based fuels will be in scarce use.

Secondly, noted fair enough.

Thirdly, like I said the process they will most probably use is photosynthasis which is in itself inefficient. Unless he is working on fueling the bacterial through other more efficient sources the whole concept is still flawed.

Lastly, I would rather, like you said, the money that would be put into this be put into more current promising technologies that actually have a siginificant future ahead of them.

But yeah, I'm probably pissing people off, but seriously CH3?

[Burningnun]

3 is next to 4 on the keyboard, believe it or not.

[chalupa]

3 is next to 4 on the keyboard, believe it or not.

Holy shit!





randOm -- would you make the same argument that the money spent in Iraq fighting a war could have been better spent developing alternative energy so we didn't give a flying fuck about oil anymore?

[rand0m]

randOm -- would you make the same argument that the money spent in Iraq fighting a war could have been better spent developing alternative energy so we didn't give a flying fuck about oil anymore?

Of course ... but we didn't go into Iraq for the oil ;)